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The differences between patrol officers and military police officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a military police officer has an average salary of $38,080, which is higher than the $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a patrol officer include patrol, customer service and public safety. The most important skills for a military police officer are crowd control, order operations, and patrol.
| Patrol Officer | Military Police Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,621 | $38,080 |
| Hourly rate | $17.13 | $18.31 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 123,265 | 122,487 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A military police officer is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the areas assigned for their duly protection. Military police officers monitor their premises efficiently, inspecting suspicious individuals within the territory, and enforcing strict legislation protocols and military regulations for everyone's compliance. They locate security breaches, assist with law enforcement investigations, provide battlefield support, and coordinate with other law institutions and citizens for security enhancement. A military police officer must have extensive knowledge with state procedures and military rules, performing various duties, and maintaining peace and order.
Patrol officers and military police officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patrol Officer | Military Police Officer | |
| Average salary | $35,621 | $38,080 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $46,000 | Between $25,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | - |
| Best paying company | Mount St. Mary's University | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a patrol officer and a military police officer in terms of educational background:
| Patrol Officer | Military Police Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 37% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Bakersfield |
Here are the differences between patrol officers' and military police officers' demographics:
| Patrol Officer | Military Police Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% | Male, 78.9% Female, 21.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 3.3% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |