Loss prevention associate vs law enforcement officer

The differences between loss prevention associates and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a law enforcement officer has an average salary of $39,219, which is higher than the $38,861 average annual salary of a loss prevention associate.

The top three skills for a loss prevention associate include customer service, patrol and safety standards. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.

Loss prevention associate vs law enforcement officer overview

	Loss Prevention Associate	Law Enforcement Officer
Yearly salary	$38,861	$39,219
Hourly rate	$18.68	$18.86
Growth rate	6%	3%
Number of jobs	82,313	105,817
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	33	40
Years of experience	-	-

What does a loss prevention associate do?

A loss prevention associate is responsible for monitoring the organization's daily operations, maintaining the safety and security of all network systems to avoid data theft. Loss prevention associates take immediate actions on all related suspicious activities that would compromise the company's reputation and financial status. They regularly check surveillance technologies to maintain asset protection and operational stability at all times. A loss prevention associate should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on writing incident reports and escalating unusual activities to the management for immediate resolution.

What does a law enforcement officer do?

The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city. Typically, their responsibilities include patrolling their designated area, responding to distress, monitoring suspicious activities and characters, conducting investigations and inspections, and coordinating various services to assist citizens. Moreover, as a law enforcement officer, it is essential to serve as a role model for citizens and uphold the oath to serve and protect.

Loss prevention associate vs law enforcement officer salary

Loss prevention associates and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Loss Prevention Associate	Law Enforcement Officer
Average salary	$38,861	$39,219
Salary range	Between $21,000 And $69,000	Between $30,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	Salisbury, MD	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Virginia	Washington
Best paying company	AIG	University of Nebraska System
Best paying industry	Utilities	Government

Differences between loss prevention associate and law enforcement officer education

There are a few differences between a loss prevention associate and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:

	Loss Prevention Associate	Law Enforcement Officer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Criminal Justice
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Pennsylvania State University

Loss prevention associate vs law enforcement officer demographics

Here are the differences between loss prevention associates' and law enforcement officers' demographics:

	Loss Prevention Associate	Law Enforcement Officer
Average age	33	40
Gender ratio	Male, 68.7% Female, 31.3%	Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 7.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 4.2% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.1% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between loss prevention associate and law enforcement officer duties and responsibilities

Loss prevention associate example responsibilities.

Manage foreclosure and bankruptcy from inception to completion and mitigate all potential losses within an acceptable range.
Greet customers, operate CCTV security monitors and prevent shrinkage of merchandise.
Job duties include the personal detainment and apprehension of retail shoplifters utilizing plain view self-observation and/or CCTV cameras.
Analyze bankruptcy and foreclosure files in order to devise a strategy to minimize loss and maximize financial recovery.
Protect company's assets by utilizing state-of-the-art detection and investigation surveillance system, which identify shoplifters and prevent loss of merchandise.

Law enforcement officer example responsibilities.

Attend NCO leadership school and receive training on how to properly, and effectively manage personnel.
Accomplish scheduled and random security checks of control and classify areas to ensure compliance with DOD resource protection guidelines.
Develop and manage firearms training programs, including weapons selection and qualification standards.
Operate QRV solo, backing up BLS ambulances.
Certify in defensive tactics, firearms, driver's training, professional first aid and CPR.
DOT and FMCSA regulation enforcement.

Loss prevention associate vs law enforcement officer skills

Common loss prevention associate skills

Customer Service, 16%
Patrol, 13%
Safety Standards, 10%
Loss Prevention, 10%
Safety Inspections, 8%
Cash Handling, 7%

Common law enforcement officer skills

Patrol, 26%
Public Safety, 10%
Emergency Situations, 7%
Criminal Justice, 6%
CPR, 3%
Metal Detectors, 3%

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Protective Service Industry
Loss Prevention Associate
Loss Prevention Associate vs Law Enforcement Officer

Updated January 8, 2025

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