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The differences between assets protection specialists and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assets protection specialist has an average salary of $42,374, which is higher than the $39,219 average annual salary of a law enforcement officer.
The top three skills for an assets protection specialist include CCTV, physical security and exception reports. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.
| Assets Protection Specialist | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $42,374 | $39,219 |
| Hourly rate | $20.37 | $18.86 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 83,267 | 105,817 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 33 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An assets protection specialist is an individual who is responsible for implementing safety and environmental programs to their assigned store or multiple stores as well as prevent financial loss caused by theft and fraud. Asset protection specialists are required to monitor the store's physical security and audit electronic article surveillance. They also prepare accurate and detailed case reports and interact with law enforcement as well as testify in criminal and civil court actions. Asset protection specialists must also report any hazardous or unsafe condition to the manager on duty.
The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city. Typically, their responsibilities include patrolling their designated area, responding to distress, monitoring suspicious activities and characters, conducting investigations and inspections, and coordinating various services to assist citizens. Moreover, as a law enforcement officer, it is essential to serve as a role model for citizens and uphold the oath to serve and protect.
Assets protection specialists and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assets Protection Specialist | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average salary | $42,374 | $39,219 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $78,000 | Between $30,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, VA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Credit Suisse | University of Nebraska System |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Government |
There are a few differences between an assets protection specialist and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:
| Assets Protection Specialist | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between assets protection specialists' and law enforcement officers' demographics:
| Assets Protection Specialist | Law Enforcement Officer | |
| Average age | 33 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0% | Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.1% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |