Code enforcement officer vs police officer

The differences between code enforcement officers and police officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a police officer has an average salary of $52,638, which is higher than the $40,706 average annual salary of a code enforcement officer.

The top three skills for a code enforcement officer include patrol, public safety and community development. The most important skills for a police officer are patrol, public safety, and law enforcement agencies.

Code enforcement officer vs police officer overview

	Code Enforcement Officer	Police Officer
Yearly salary	$40,706	$52,638
Hourly rate	$19.57	$25.31
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	104,295	116,287
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
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 police officer do?

Police officers are responsible for keeping peace and security in a community. They uphold and enforce the law. They ensure that people in their assigned community follow the law. They also ensure that proper sanctions are given out to anyone who does not follow. Some police officers are assigned in the field, meaning they work outside of police stations. Those assigned to police stations are responsible for maintaining administrative matters as well, aside from maintaining peace and order. Police officers are expected to be trustworthy, to work with honor, and to keep their integrity intact.

Code enforcement officer vs police officer salary

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

	Code Enforcement Officer	Police Officer
Average salary	$40,706	$52,638
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $56,000	Between $38,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	King County	Icma-rc
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between code enforcement officer and police officer education

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

	Code Enforcement Officer	Police Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Pennsylvania State University

Code enforcement officer vs police officer demographics

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

	Code Enforcement Officer	Police Officer
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 67.3% Female, 32.7%	Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8%
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, 12.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between code enforcement officer and police 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.

Police officer example responsibilities.

Apprehend violators and log evidence, complete require USAF and DoD forms, and accomplish report.
Train in CPR and first aid, radar speed enforcement, domestic violence intervention, pepper spray, and basic anti-terrorism.
Gather preliminary investigation information as a first responder to crime scenes.
Perform basic patrol functions including criminal and traffic law enforcement, incident reporting and community relations.
Complete numerous testimonies at criminal hearings and traffic violations, serve summons, subpoenas and other official documentation.
Patrol MARTA trains and bus lines.

Code enforcement officer vs police officer skills

Common code enforcement officer skills

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

Common police officer skills

Patrol, 27%
Public Safety, 6%
Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%
Emergency Situations, 5%
Field Training, 4%
CPR, 3%

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Code Enforcement Officer
Code Enforcement Officer vs Police Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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