Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between loss prevention specialists and patrol officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a loss prevention specialist has an average salary of $47,451, which is higher than the $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a loss prevention specialist include customer service, safety program and store management. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $47,451 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 59,094 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A loss prevention specialist is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the store premises from shoplifters and even from employees' suspicious activities. Loss prevention specialists manage the installation of surveillance devices, monitor the daily store operations, and track business and financial transactions from the database. They also coordinate with law enforcement personnel for investigation on theft cases and other related retail complications. A loss prevention specialist must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, especially on preparing incident reports and apprehending violators.
The job of patrol officers is to enforce ordinances, laws, prevent crime, control crowds, arrest violators, and regulate traffic. They also perform other duties that may include monitoring an assigned area for unauthorized or suspicious activity, responding to reports of emergencies and possible crime such as robberies, and building good relationships with community members. To be a successful patrol officer, you should have solid judgment, excellent communication skills, and decision-making skills in stressful situations.
Loss prevention specialists and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $47,451 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $87,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Booz Allen Hamilton | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Government |
There are a few differences between a loss prevention specialist and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between loss prevention specialists' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Loss Prevention Specialist | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 1.2% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% | Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 7% |