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Desk sergeant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical desk sergeant skills. We ranked the top skills for desk sergeants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.5% of desk sergeant resumes contained patrol as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a desk sergeant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 desk sergeant skills for your resume and career

1. Patrol

Here's how desk sergeants use patrol:

Maintained police blotters containing detailed information on daily emergency situations, personnel information, and patrol responses.
Coached and mentored less-experienced patrol supervisors on the proper methods of conducting investigations.

2. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how desk sergeants use law enforcement agencies:

Coordinated with Army and civilian law enforcement agencies on incidents affecting both military and civilian personnel.
Centralized control point for security and law enforcement operations; liaison to civilian law enforcement agencies.

3. Emergency Situations

Here's how desk sergeants use emergency situations:

Plotted, analyzed, and dispatched security forces personnel to routine incidents and disaster/emergency situations.
Evaluated emergency situations to determine appropriate response and emergency units required.

4. Incident Reports

An Incident Report, in a medical facility such as hospitals and nursing homes, is a type of paperwork filled out immediately after and in the case of an incident of some sort, with the goal of describing the incident and its consequences, as well as the measurements taken after or during the incident, as well as any other information relevant to said incident. Such an incident might be a patient acting out or a patient being injured.

Here's how desk sergeants use incident reports:

Maintained daily police blotter, prepared incident reports, made notifications as necessary.
Prepared incident reports and maintained classified documents in accordance with operational security procedures.

5. Blotter

Here's how desk sergeants use blotter:

Prepared SF blotter, various administrative forms and interacted with base leadership during crisis situations
Maintained and updated daily law enforcement electronic blotter records for base commander review.

6. Emergency Calls

Here's how desk sergeants use emergency calls:

Received emergency calls and dispatched appropriate emergency assets to include police officers, fire department, and emergency medical personal.
Supervised 15 Military Police Patrols while responding to criminal investigations, emergency calls, and traffic accidents.

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7. Alarm Systems

Alarm systems are designed to detect intrusion, unauthorized entry into a property. Security alarms are used in commercial, residential, industrial, and military estates for protection against intruders, theft and property damage. Intrusion alarm systems may also be combined with CCTV systems to record the activities of intruders. They can also be used as an interface to access control systems for electrical doors.

Here's how desk sergeants use alarm systems:

Served as Alarm System Administrator monitoring intrusion alarm systems and CCTV cameras
Monitored opening/closing of alarmed facilities via Vindicator alarm system.

8. Motor Vehicle

A motor vehicle is a mode of transportation such as a car, truck or bus.

Here's how desk sergeants use motor vehicle:

Investigated motor vehicle accidents and other criminal activities by collecting all pertinent facts and producing a report of investigation.
Investigated motor vehicle accidents and used speed measuring devices as well as Field Sobriety techniques in order to enforce traffic codes.

9. Physical Security

Physical security refers to the services of protection offered by guards, surveillance, barriers, access controls, or other specially designed security systems. All of these aforementioned security systems are an integral part of physical security and ensure the safety of not just people but also of physical property including valuable items, resources, and more. It further includes the provision of security against potential intruders, thefts, and even attacks.

Here's how desk sergeants use physical security:

Monitored Intrusion/physical security detection equipment.
Supervised installation gate and physical security sentries and patrols to ensure policies and procedures were enforced.

10. Security Operations

Here's how desk sergeants use security operations:

Recognized by executive level officer for superior security operations performance and program management decreasing security discrepancies by 50%.
Operated nerve center for all normal and emergency law enforcement and security operations.

11. Traffic Control

Traffic control helps in the supervision of the movement of vehicles, goods, and people for safety and efficiency.

Here's how desk sergeants use traffic control:

Established cordon, entry control point, traffic control points, tactical staging area and evacuation area.
Implemented traffic control plans during on base building and road construction, and special events.

12. Combat

Combat is a violent conflict between two parties. Combat can be held by using weapons or unarmed. The fighting between the armed forces of different countries can also be called combat and the main purpose of the combat is to eliminate and stop your opponent from achieving their goal.

Here's how desk sergeants use combat:

Developed extensive training program for combined military combat operations to help streamline higher training standards.
Provided on-the-job training; ensured personnel were mission ready with operational capabilities for combat.

13. NCIC

Here's how desk sergeants use ncic:

Monitor all alarmed facilities for two geographical separate military bases and NCIC terminals.
Monitor the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) terminal and the Emergency 911 System.

14. Alarm Activations

Here's how desk sergeants use alarm activations:

Responded and investigated alarm activations, major accidents, minor offenses and security incidents while preserving crime scenes and seizing evidence.
Orchestrated expansion of forces during alarm activations and security incidents involving Air Force Test Center assets.

15. CCTV

Here's how desk sergeants use cctv:

Acknowledged alarms, dispatched personnel to security situations, and monitored a CCTV system located inside the nuclear weapon storage area.
Operated CCTV and other camera and sensor systems, and advised Squadron, Group and Wing leadership of ongoing situations.

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List of desk sergeant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a desk sergeant resume and required skills for a desk sergeant to have include:

Patrol
Law Enforcement Agencies
Emergency Situations
Incident Reports
Blotter
Emergency Calls
Alarm Systems
Motor Vehicle
Physical Security
Security Operations
Traffic Control
Combat
NCIC
Alarm Activations
CCTV
Vehicle Accidents
Medical Emergencies

Crime Scenes
Emergency Response
Security Checks
Pedestrian Traffic
Security Incidents
Law Enforcement Operations
DOD
Traffic Accidents
Background Checks
CPR
Professional Development
Police Services
Military Installations
DUI
USAF
Police Operations
Communications Equipment

Installation Security
Flight Line
On-The-Job Training
Criminal Law
Emergency Operations
Criminal Cases
SF
Mobile Patrols
US Army
Local Laws
Order Operations
PL
Law Enforcement Equipment
Computer Aided Dispatch
Airmen
Cops

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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