Code enforcement officer vs detention officer

The differences between code enforcement officers and detention officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a code enforcement officer has an average salary of $40,706, which is higher than the $40,087 average annual salary of a detention officer.

The top three skills for a code enforcement officer include patrol, public safety and community development. The most important skills for a detention officer are detention facility, direct supervision, and booking.

Code enforcement officer vs detention officer overview

	Code Enforcement Officer	Detention Officer
Yearly salary	$40,706	$40,087
Hourly rate	$19.57	$19.27
Growth rate	3%	-10%
Number of jobs	104,295	116,529
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	-	-

What does a code enforcement officer do?

Code enforcement officers are professionals who work for the government to ensure that properties within their jurisdiction are following the zoning laws and building ordinances of a city, town, or county. These officers are required to inspect properties and record violations as part of their regular assessment or in response to complaints. They must explain to property owners about building codes and zoning laws so that they can avoid confusion and increase awareness of all violations. Code enforcement officers must also keep records of case violations and complaints while submitting the summary reports to their supervisors.

What does a detention officer do?

The role of detention officers is to supervise inmates in state detention facilities. They are responsible for ensuring the safe imprisonment of detainees, managing conflict between detainees, and reporting inappropriate behavior to the warden. Other responsibilities include providing inmates the opportunity to call a lawyer or a relative, performing periodic patrol of the jail area, and supervising inmates during meals and related activities. They are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness of personal and cell equipment and distributing medicines to inmates as directed.

Code enforcement officer vs detention officer salary

Code enforcement officers and detention officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Code Enforcement Officer	Detention Officer
Average salary	$40,706	$40,087
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $56,000	Between $29,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Hawaii
Best paying company	King County	Bering Straits
Best paying industry	Government	Insurance

Differences between code enforcement officer and detention officer education

There are a few differences between a code enforcement officer and a detention officer in terms of educational background:

	Code Enforcement Officer	Detention Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 37%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	-

Code enforcement officer vs detention officer demographics

Here are the differences between code enforcement officers' and detention officers' demographics:

	Code Enforcement Officer	Detention Officer
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 67.3% Female, 32.7%	Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 3.2% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.0% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	7%	6%

Differences between code enforcement officer and detention officer duties and responsibilities

Code enforcement officer example responsibilities.

Develop and manage firearms training programs, including weapons selection and qualification standards.
Review variance, special use and any land use applications.
Review plans and specifications for zoning, parking and setback requirements.
Enforce city and state ordinances, patrol city for violations against the city building code and animal laws.
Patrol assign areas within the city limits while operating a city vehicle to enforce nuisance and property maintenance codes.
Create simulations for force-on-force firearms training/defensive tactics for customers and train the trainers at Police/Sheriff departments.

Detention officer example responsibilities.

Train and manage officers of booking, procedures and computer knowledge skills and achieve significant improvements in their productivity.
Manage booking area and process all non-English speaking detainees; streamline process and reduce confrontational situations through effective communication and leadership.
Maintain certification in CPR, gun qualification, and any specialize training offer.
Ensure that all require KYC documentation is on file before accounts are open.
Review and analyze KYC information on potential clients, brokerage counterparties, etc.
Perform CPR when necessary, and provide the transportation of inmates to the medical facility.

Code enforcement officer vs detention officer skills

Common code enforcement officer skills

Patrol, 12%
Public Safety, 7%
Community Development, 5%
Municipal Codes, 4%
Code Compliance, 4%
Plumbing, 4%

Common detention officer skills

Detention Facility, 14%
Direct Supervision, 13%
Booking, 11%
Law Enforcement, 10%
CPR, 5%
Security Checks, 4%

Code Enforcement Officer vs. similar jobs

Code Enforcement Officer related careers

Code Enforcement Officer related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Protective Service Industry
Code Enforcement Officer
Code Enforcement Officer vs Detention Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse protective service jobs