In 1973 I made it into the Maryland State Police. I had also applied as an air traffic controller and got that job offer a few weeks later, and I went with the ATC job. MSP starting pay, as I recall was 8800$. ATC paid 16K. No brainer. I often look back at how God must have been looking out for me. I don't think I would have done better scraping bodies off the highway and wrestling drunks. Glad somebody is doing it though.