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The differences between detention officers and police cadets can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a detention officer has an average salary of $40,087, which is higher than the $33,243 average annual salary of a police cadet.
The top three skills for a detention officer include detention facility, direct supervision and booking. The most important skills for a police cadet are patrol, traffic control, and public safety.
| Detention Officer | Police Cadet | |
| Yearly salary | $40,087 | $33,243 |
| Hourly rate | $19.27 | $15.98 |
| Growth rate | -10% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 116,529 | 94,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
Police cadets require multiple police department-relevant skills in traffic control, police reports, public safety, and special events. Those who choose this career will be responsible for participating in training programs that will introduce them to the fundamentals of law enforcement and prepare them for becoming police officers, supporting police operations like traffic control, working on criminal investigation, and performing administrative duties at the station.
Detention officers and police cadets have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Detention Officer | Police Cadet | |
| Average salary | $40,087 | $33,243 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $54,000 | Between $23,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Bering Straits | Meridian Township |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Government |
There are a few differences between a detention officer and a police cadet in terms of educational background:
| Detention Officer | Police Cadet | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between detention officers' and police cadets' demographics:
| Detention Officer | Police Cadet | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.0% Female, 39.0% | Male, 63.4% Female, 36.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 2.9% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 7% |