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Detention officer vs public safety officer

The differences between detention officers and public safety officers 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 $36,596 average annual salary of a public safety officer.

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

Detention officer vs public safety officer overview

Detention OfficerPublic Safety Officer
Yearly salary$40,087$36,596
Hourly rate$19.27$17.59
Growth rate-10%3%
Number of jobs116,529122,048
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

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.

What does a public safety officer do?

Public relations assistants are professionals who are responsible for creating and distributing promotional materials to help clients increase their public image and awareness of their products and services. These assistants are required to help develop and distribute public relations materials such as brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and sell sheets. They must handle all the communications of their clients to the public by supervising social media content, press releases, and emails. Public relations assistants must also gather materials to be used in trade shows or client presentations.

Detention officer vs public safety officer salary

Detention officers and public safety officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Detention OfficerPublic Safety Officer
Average salary$40,087$36,596
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $54,000Between $29,000 And $46,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CANew Britain, CT
Highest paying stateHawaiiNorth Dakota
Best paying companyBering StraitsUniversity of California, Berkeley
Best paying industryInsuranceHealth Care

Differences between detention officer and public safety officer education

There are a few differences between a detention officer and a public safety officer in terms of educational background:

Detention OfficerPublic Safety Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common college-California State University - Bakersfield

Detention officer vs public safety officer demographics

Here are the differences between detention officers' and public safety officers' demographics:

Detention OfficerPublic Safety Officer
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 61.0% Female, 39.0%Male, 76.7% Female, 23.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%7%

Differences between detention officer and public safety officer duties and responsibilities

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.
  • Show more

Public safety officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage litigation and bankruptcy matters.
  • Apply hand cuffs, restraints and calm combative irate people, handling emergency situations, report writing, CPR, a.
  • Patrol campus, answer calls: fire, police, ems.
  • Engage in assistance for medical staff in dangerous situations, patient restraints, heavy lifting, and area access.
  • Monitor campus radio and cameras, dispatch emergency calls, issue summonses and utilize the NYSPIN computer communication network.
  • Involve in patient restraints and aggressive patient/visitor confrontations.
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Detention officer vs public safety officer skills

Common detention officer skills
  • Detention Facility, 14%
  • Direct Supervision, 13%
  • Booking, 11%
  • Law Enforcement, 10%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Security Checks, 4%
Common public safety officer skills
  • Patrol, 18%
  • Patients, 17%
  • Public Safety, 12%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Emergency Situations, 5%

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