How to hire a patrol officer

How to hire a patrol officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step patrol officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a patrol officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new patrol officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a patrol officer do?

Post a patrol officer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a patrol officer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A patrol officer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, patrol officers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of patrol officers.

   Type of Patrol Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Patrol Officer	Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called agents or special agents, gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.	$12-22
   Loss Prevention Analyst	A loss prevention analyst designs and develops loss prevention programs, typically for retail establishments. They are in charge of providing analytical services primarily to avoid or resolve cases of theft and fraud... Show more	$10-32
   Criminal Investigator	A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity... Show more	$16-40

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patrol
   • Customer Service
   • Public Safety
   • Law Enforcement Agencies
   • Emergency Situations
   • Incident Reports
   • CPR
   • Traffic Control
   • Crime Scenes
   • Safety Hazards
   • Property Damage
   • Traffic Accidents
   • Traffic Laws
   • Federal Laws

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage surveillance of DUI traffic offenders in Jacksonville
   • Report and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
   • Enforce NYS racing guidelines state, rules and regulations.
   • Protect life and property at the largest regional aviation facility in NYS.
   • Provide emergency medical assistance as a first responder.
   • Utilize security vehicle to patrol all residential areas and parking lot ensuring resident safety.

   More patrol officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the patrol officer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A patrol officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a patrol officer in Georgia may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level patrol officer. Additionally, a patrol officer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average patrol officer salary

   $35,621yearly

   $17.13 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level patrol officer salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average patrol officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$46,993	$23
   2	Minnesota	$46,437	$22
   3	Oregon	$43,624	$21
   4	Massachusetts	$42,498	$20
   5	Alaska	$40,739	$20
   6	New York	$40,502	$19
   7	California	$40,298	$19
   8	Illinois	$36,544	$18
   9	Colorado	$35,942	$17
   10	Indiana	$34,023	$16
   11	Pennsylvania	$33,939	$16
   12	Delaware	$33,814	$16
   13	Utah	$33,061	$16
   14	Nevada	$32,810	$16
   15	Ohio	$31,575	$15
   16	Texas	$31,462	$15
   17	Arizona	$30,232	$15
   18	Missouri	$28,667	$14
   19	North Carolina	$28,360	$14
   20	Florida	$28,103	$14

   Average patrol officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Mount St. Mary's University	$51,326	$24.68	1
   2	Dartmouth	$47,574	$22.87	8
   3	Valparaiso University	$47,371	$22.77	3
   4	Georgetown University	$46,240	$22.23	14
   5	Stearns County MN	$44,902	$21.59	1
   6	Iowa Department of Transportation	$44,850	$21.56
   7	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	$44,428	$21.36	4
   8	State of Connecticut	$43,498	$20.91	23
   9	Denver Public Schools	$43,433	$20.88	3
   10	City of Gulfport	$42,969	$20.66	1
   11	Brown County	$42,288	$20.33	1
   12	Outagamie County	$42,284	$20.33	3
   13	Reef	$42,092	$20.24	1
   14	City of St. Clair Shores	$42,030	$20.21	5
   15	University of Michigan	$41,995	$20.19	4
   16	Baystate Health	$41,994	$20.19	6
   17	Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania	$41,935	$20.16
   18	College of the Holy Cross	$41,735	$20.06	1
   19	City of Garden City	$41,560	$19.98	1
   20	City of Abilene Texas	$41,534	$19.97	2

4. Writing a patrol officer job description

   A patrol officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a patrol officer job description:

   Patrol officer job description example

   Metro One Loss Prevention Services Group is a rapidly growing company currently hiring an Unarmed Security Officer. We have a state-of-the-art infrastructure and we're looking for a strong Security Officer to work in a retail environment. We are a national security service provider licensed in 47 states.
   
   While working for Metro One, you will be given the opportunity to exercise your mind for business in an environment that values advancement.
   Weekly PayUnarmed Security Officer Benefits:
   
   · Health, Dental, Vision offered.· Opportunity for advancement and growth.· Company paid uniforms.· Extensive training program
   
   Unarmed Security Officer Qualifications/Requirements:· Must have a Security License.· Must have a flexible schedule· Must have up to date identification in order to complete an I-9 form.· Must be able to work a standing post for 8 hour shifts or longer.· Ability to interact with the public in a direct and professional manner, strong interpersonal skills.· Must be willing to participate in the company's pre-employment screening process and continuously meet the any applicable State, County and Municipal requirements for Security OfficersUnarmed Security Officer Responsibilities:· Provide assistance to customers, employees and visitors in a professional manner.· Perform security patrols of designated areas on foot or vehicle.If you meet the above requirements for our Security Officer position, please apply today.Metro One LPSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to embrace diversity.
   
   Requirements
   
   Unarmed Vehicle Patrol Security Officer Qualifications/Requirements:· Must have a California Guard Card · Must have a flexible schedule· Must be available on weekends for events· Must be able to sit, stand, bend, and lift up to 15 lbs· Clean cut business attire· Must have up to date identification in order to complete an I-9 form.· Ability to interact with the public in a direct and professional manner, strong interpersonal skills.· Must be willing to participate in the company's pre-employment screening process and continuously meet the any applicable State, County and Municipal requirements for unarmed security officers.
   
   Officer Responsibilities:· Provide assistance to customers, employees and visitors in a professional manner.· Perform security patrols of designated areas on foot or vehicle.If you meet the above requirements for our this position, please apply today.Metro One LPSG is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to embrace diversity.
   
   PPO License #119962

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right patrol officer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with patrol officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit patrol officers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your patrol officer job on Zippia to find and recruit patrol officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting patrol officers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new patrol officer

   Once you've decided on a perfect patrol officer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new patrol officer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a patrol officer?