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The differences between officers and patrol officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an officer has an average salary of $52,506, which is higher than the $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for an officer include patrol, customer service and public safety. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,506 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $25.24 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 114,267 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An officer is responsible for managing the daily operations of the assigned area, ensuring its peace and security by monitoring and reporting unusual and suspicious activities. Officers are the ones enforcing strict safety protocols and procedures to maintain the order within the premises. They also coordinate with law enforcement agencies in conducting appropriate investigations for any violating cases. An officer must be highly-knowledgeable of the law policies, as well as possessing excellent leadership skills to manage the members under the officer's patrol.
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.
Officers and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $52,506 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $103,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Meta | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an officer and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between officers' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 43 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.2% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% | 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 | 6% | 7% |