Police and sheriffs patrol officers: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Police and sheriffs patrol officers are the most common type of police and detectives, and have general law enforcement duties. They wear uniforms that allow the public to easily recognize them as police officers. They have regular patrols and also respond to emergency and nonemergency calls. During patrols, officers look for signs of criminal activity and may conduct searches and arrest suspected criminals.
Some police officers work only on a specific type of crime, such as narcotics. Officers, especially those working in large departments, may work in special units, such as horseback, motorcycle, canine corps, and special weapons and tactics (SWAT). Typically, officers must work as patrol officers for a certain number of years before they may be appointed to a special unit.
- Education Required
- Police and detective applicants must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, although many federal agencies and some police departments require some college coursework or a college degree. Many community colleges, 4-year colleges, and universities offer programs in law enforcement and criminal justice. Knowledge of a foreign language is an asset in many federal agencies and geographical regions.
- Training Required
- Candidates for appointment usually attend a training academy before becoming an officer. Training includes classroom instruction in state and local laws and constitutional law, civil rights, and police ethics. Recruits also receive training and supervised experience in areas such as patrol, traffic control, firearm use, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response.
- Job Outlook
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The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 7% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- Police officers usually become eligible for promotion after a probationary period. Promotions to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain usually are made according to scores on a written examination and on-the-job performance. In large departments, promotion may enable an officer to become a detective or to specialize in one type of police work, such as working with juveniles.
- Median pay: How much do Police and Detectives make?
- $61,600 Annual Salary
- $29.62 per hour
Careers for Police and Detectives
- Border guards
- Border patrol officers
- Conservation enforcement officers
- Conservation officers
- Constables
- Cops
- Criminal investigators
- Deputy United States marshals
- Deputy sheriffs
- Detectives and criminal investigators
- FBI investigators
- Fish and game wardens
- Fish and wildlife wardens
- Fish wardens
- Game wardens
- Highway patrol officers
- Homicide detectives
- Motorcycle police
- Mounted police
- Narcotics detectives
- Narcotics investigators
- Park police
- Patrol officers
- Police detectives
- Policemen
- Policewomen
- Railroad detectives
- Railroad police officers
- State highway police officers
- State troopers
- Track patrol
- Transit and railroad police
- Transit authority police
- Transit police officers
- Wildlife and game protectors
- Wildlife control agents
- Wildlife officers