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Patrol sergeant vs law enforcement officer

The differences between patrol sergeants and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a patrol sergeant has an average salary of $56,638, which is higher than the $39,219 average annual salary of a law enforcement officer.

The top three skills for a patrol sergeant include patrol, law enforcement agencies and public safety. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.

Patrol sergeant vs law enforcement officer overview

Patrol SergeantLaw Enforcement Officer
Yearly salary$56,638$39,219
Hourly rate$27.23$18.86
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs22,591105,817
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

What does a patrol sergeant do?

A Patrol Sergeant oversees and performs security operations on an assigned shift. They conduct vehicular patrol of an assigned area, investigate the scenes of accidents, and make arrests, when required.

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.

Patrol sergeant vs law enforcement officer salary

Patrol sergeants and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Patrol SergeantLaw Enforcement Officer
Average salary$56,638$39,219
Salary rangeBetween $44,000 And $72,000Between $30,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City-Seattle, WA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-University of Nebraska System
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between patrol sergeant and law enforcement officer education

There are a few differences between a patrol sergeant and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:

Patrol SergeantLaw Enforcement Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common collegePennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State University

Patrol sergeant vs law enforcement officer demographics

Here are the differences between patrol sergeants' and law enforcement officers' demographics:

Patrol SergeantLaw Enforcement Officer
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 91.2% Female, 8.8%Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 3.5% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%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 Percentage7%7%

Differences between patrol sergeant and law enforcement officer duties and responsibilities

Patrol sergeant example responsibilities.

  • Manage department's firearm ammunition and ensure supplies are adequate and additional items order as needed.
  • Used and enforce during combat risk management composite and procedures, risk management analysis, always safety conscious.
  • Conduct investigations and any disciplinary action need for any complaint or incident involving patrol officers.
  • Communicate with fellow patrol officers in order to coordinate more effective task completion and conflict resolution.
  • Designate firearms proficiency officer responsible for maintaining individual officer annual firearms qualifications and associate maintenance of training records.
  • Serve arrest, bench warrants, subpoenas, domestic violence orders and other court paperwork.
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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.
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Patrol sergeant vs law enforcement officer skills

Common patrol sergeant skills
  • Patrol, 44%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 6%
  • Public Safety, 5%
  • Personnel Problems, 5%
  • Emergency Situations, 4%
  • Field Training, 4%
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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