Police Officer Careers – Police Officer Jobs
Police officer careers are in high demand and will continue to be for years to come. There are many police officer jobs in the law enforcement career field, thus an opportunity for a life of adventure.
People depend on police officers to protect their lives and property. Law enforcement officers carry out these duties in a variety of ways depending on the size and type of their organization. Police officers pursue and arrest individuals who break the law and then issue citations or give warnings. The majority of police officers patrol their jurisdictions and investigate any questionable events they observe. In most jurisdictions, they are expected to exercise authority when necessary, whether on or off duty.
The day-to-day activities of police personnel varies depending on their professional area of expertise – such as police officer, detective, or game warden – and whether they are employed at a local, State, or Federal level. Duties also differ considerably among various Federal agencies, which enforce different aspects of the law. Regardless of job duties or location, officers at all ranks are required to write reports and maintain precise records that will be needed if they testify in court.
Police Officer Requirements
Most police officers must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized). To start a police officer career, a person must pass a written test, a physical exam, and be at least a high school graduate – see Education and Training below for more info.
Education and Training
Many police departments require only a high school diploma for one to be eligible for a police officer position. However, there are numerous agencies that require at least an Associate degree or a college credit equivalent. Some metropolitan departments require a minimum of a Bachelor degree. Most state and federal law enforcement agencies will only accept police officer candidates that have a 4-year degree or a combination of significant job experience and education.
Police officer training is for the most part provided through state certification programs and/or police academies. Law enforcement certification programs and academy sessions usually last several months. Police career hopefuls that need to attend an academy may be required to stay on academy grounds at all times throughout training, with exception of weekends. This is dependent on the agency in question, but in most cases, a police recruit will spend about 8 hours on weekdays at the academy and is free to go home at the end of the day.
Training includes classroom instruction in constitutional law and civil rights, State laws and local ordinances, and accident investigation. Recruits also receive training and supervised experience in patrol, traffic control, the use of firearms, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response.
It is highly recommended that police officers continually upgrade their education, especially those with little or no college education. As time on the force goes by, opportunities for advancement are often granted to those that invested in their self-development through agency sponsored training, certificate programs, and completion of Bachelor level or even advanced degrees. Police officer salaries are often gauged on the amount of training and formal education an individual possesses. Take advantage of the fact that many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to work toward degrees in criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, public administration, criminology, and others.
Police Officer Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Police and sheriff’s patrol officers had median annual earnings of $47,460 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $35,600 and $59,880. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,310, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $72,450. Median annual earnings were $47,190 in local government, $52,540 in State government, and $43,510 in Federal Government.
The salary information will be updated here with a new release of salary statistics by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so don’t worry about years of difference – it’s just a formality. Salaries for the current year are not that far off, but for the most accurate information call or visit the agency in question. Many police departments offer salary, benefit, and hiring info right on their website.
Career Opportunities
Police officers have many criminal justice career opportunities that can be obtained through tenure, training, and education. Some of the police jobs include: Detective, Crime Scene Investigator, Community Liaison Officer, Narcotics Officer, and SWAT Officer.
Take a look at other great Criminal Justice Careers.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
i am 34 years old is it to late to go in to this line of work
No, it’s not too late. Many police departments, including those policing agencies on a state and federal level, allow candidates who are 37 years old or younger. I have also come across some that don’t have an age limit, but impose a retirement limit (for example: imposed retirement at age 55). If you are interested in police work, you should find out more info from the police department that you would like to work for. You can do so by visiting the police department website (most municipalities should have some info) or by calling your local police department. Also, you can pay them a visit if you would like.
WHY is there an age restriction??? I just turned 38 & am FINALLY ready to pursue my lifelong dream! I’ve been having babies for the last 16 yrs & am disheartened to learn that it may be too late for me!!! :’(
Good question. It’s mainly due to the aging process, as we get older our reflexes slow down, ability to think and react decreases, and so on… As police officers, we have to protect not only ourselves, but the community we serve as well as our fellow police officers.
BUT, before you put a dagger through your dreams, I would contact the police agency in question. There are some that have ages around and above your age requirement, some have waivers, and others don’t have “real” restrictions on age. However, I wouldn’t wait. Get on it now and pursue your dreams NOW – before it’s too late. I know that at your age you can still be considered for a law enforcement position; perhaps not in your immediate vicinity, but considered nonetheless.
Good luck!
Thank you for that encouragement!! Our City’s website says 36 @ the time of hire, but have you ever known that to be flexible, although there’s a stated age limit??
I have personally met our C.O.P., so I sent him an email to inquire. Here’s hoping!!
Thanks again! God bless you,
Wen;)
It really depends. More often than not they are pretty right on the money when it comes to age. Flexibility is the exception to the rule.
I want to become a SWAT officer after i graduate from college. i want to know how to become one and also the possible salary. thank you
In order to become a SWAT officer you must first be a law enforcement officer (police, sheriff, state police, or federal). You won’t be considered for a SWAT position usually for a number of years (anytime after your probation period up to 5 years or more). Then, you may be considered for the SWAT career track. Each law enforcement agency that has a SWAT team coordinates hiring differently. It would be a good idea to speak with the agency in question about how their career advancement works. SWAT positions are rare, and are usually offered to superior officers. An initial written and physical assessment may be required before you’re even considered to step foot in the training class room.
Salaries vary, but are for the most part more than that those of a police officer without SWAT training. If you know which agency you would like to work for, you should do an Internet search for their website. Most law enforcement agencies have a website with current career, salary, and requirement info.
i’m 18 years old and i want to be a police officer, i was wondering if there was anything that i could study in my time that would get me ready for training.
thanks for the tips..
Most people that will be going through an academy – where they will physically attend classes and participate in all training – can do very well just getting through the application process first. While in the academy, there will be lots of stuff that one must learn. Through that one can learn what their strengths and weaknesses are and adjust accordingly.
If not going through an academy, you’ll still most likely have to take a mandated state certification program. There you’ll also learn, but most bigger law enforcement departments claim that their training is better. In most cases, I must agree with that assertion.
It’s always good to learn good communication and social skills. That’s a given.
If there’s a certain sub-field of policing that interests you (CSI, detective work, SWAT, or victim services… to name a few) you should naturally read a little more about it. It will open your eyes to the many career positions in policing that deal directly or indirectly with police.
One thing that all trainers from police agencies across the United States don’t want you to learn prior to starting training is shooting a gun. Their philosophy is that if you know how to shoot a gun, most likely your technique is not proper and will require more adjustment than those that are newbies. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” – one police trainer told me. Yes, it’s a cliche, but even if you can teach an old dog how to shoot he or she will be more convinced that their personal touch is the best.
So there you go. Hope this helps a little. Good luck with everything.
thank you
I have signed up for Criminal Justice to be a police officer and eventaully build byself up to anything else that I want to be in the law enforcement, should I put it off and go straight to the Acadamy with a high school diploma and then attened the college after I get done the acadamy?
I can’t make that decision for you, but I will add this: a college educated employee is more likely to get promoted, demand higher salaries, and all this in a course of less time than compared to a high school grad. Of course, exceptions apply. Sorry I can’t help, however depending on YOUR situation, both options are viable.
Hello, I’m starting my Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and I’m leaning more towards Law Enforcement for a Major, is there any kind of criminal justice job I could do while getting my bachelor’s degree or am I going to have to wait until after college? and also, which websites could I go on to look at different police officer training near Harrisburg, Pa?
Many police officer careers and correctional careers can be obtained while you’re in college, or without any college credit whatsoever (although I wouldn’t recommend it). Pick a city that’s of interest to you, then go to their municipal, state, or federal website and look for career or recruiting information. Nearly all law enforcement and correctional institutions have websites nowadays with comprehensive info. I recommend the Google search engine and typing
Harrisburg PA Police Department
OTHER CITY Police Department
SOME COUNTY Prison
you get the gist. Good luck!
Hello, My name is Joseph Diaz, and I just finish graduating at high school. I was wondering if there is any Jobs under law enforcement category to make my background look excellent. When I finish my bachelors in Mathematics I would love apply a Police Officer Career. If you know any jobs in the age of 18 I can work at please respond me back and leave any website, links, or so that I can search around my hometown area of zip code 78596. I really appreciate it as I am trying to gain some experience before I become a police officer or so.
Weslaco, TX seems to be a small city in a rural area. In reality, many police departments hire recruits right out of high school. Some recruits will need to meet the educational requirement 4 years later (on average) while still being employed by a law enforcement agency / police department. So you might want to see if you can be a police officer and study Mathematics at the same time.
Other than that you won’t have too many choices at your age. Ask for a “ride along” with a police officer to see what the job is all about. Not all police departments do it, but it’s worth asking. Paid / unpaid internships can also help a lot. The most important thing is that you don’t get into legal trouble and keep your grades up while in college.
Hello,I’m a 30 year old male from Florida who would like to become a police officer. I have my A.A. in criminal justice and experience in juvenile correction . I recently been convicted of a DUI and would like to know is it possible to become a police officer? That’s the only thing on my driving record and criminal record.I appreciate your time you took to read my questions.
Jovan,
Great question, one that I find very hard to explain as it has many answers. The short answer is YES & NO – it all depends:
1. Some agencies have zero-tolerance policy for ANY DUI conviction
2. Some agencies may allow one DUI conviction only
3. Some agencies allow a time frame where your DUI may be a “thing of the past” in the scope of the employment opportunity
4. Some say that if you get your record expunged you should be fine, although I’m not too sure about that one
5. Some take candidates on a case by case basis and consider further – more positive – attributes of the potential recruit
Your police officer career can hinge on things like which agency you would like to work for, in what city, county, and state. In all honesty, I would ask the HR / Recruiting Department of the agency you have interest in. Call in anonymously and find out straight from the horse’s mouth. Also, very often – and I mean VERY OFTEN – you’ll be able to find out everything you need on the police department’s website; just make sure to click around as some of the most important info can be hidden quite well.
I welcome input from current and future Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) regarding this issue in hopes of helping those who may be in the same predicament. Perhaps, with enough constructive and detailed input, I’ll be able to write a decent post about this topic. So, please join in.