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Patrol sergeant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Amanda Graham Ph.D.,

Amanda Graham Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical patrol sergeant skills. We ranked the top skills for patrol sergeants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 44.1% of patrol sergeant resumes contained patrol as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a patrol sergeant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 patrol sergeant skills for your resume and career

1. Patrol

Here's how patrol sergeants use patrol:

Supervised patrol and traffic investigation officers; implemented roll call training; Supervised critical incidents during a time of unmotivated management.
Directed all patrol operations and deployment * Instituted Report Review process * Developed Code Enforcement Strategy * Crime Prevention Officer

2. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how patrol sergeants use law enforcement agencies:

Produced detailed electronic shift, security incident, and shift summary reports for several law enforcement agencies.
Command incident scenes and coordinate activities with other emergency service and law enforcement agencies.

3. Public Safety

Public safety can be defined as the well-being or protection of a community, citizen, or nation as a whole. There are 4 basic elements that come under public safety namely: national security, border policy, countering crime, and emergency management.

Here's how patrol sergeants use public safety:

Promoted elevated levels of public safety; responded rapidly to emergencies and enforced applicable laws.
Prepared threat analysis and vulnerability reports for public safety and law enforcement services.

4. Personnel Problems

Here's how patrol sergeants use personnel problems:

Investigate and resolve personnel problems.
Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.

5. Emergency Situations

Here's how patrol sergeants use emergency situations:

Respond to all emergency situations maintain, coordinate scene make executive notifications, order any specialized units or personal as needed.
Assured adequate staffing was provided for unexpected emergency situations and other special needs events.

6. Field Training

Here's how patrol sergeants use field training:

Field Training Coordinator: Develop training program and supervise its implementation.
FIELD TRAINING SUPERVISOR: Supervise field training program, which includes conducting FTO Meetings and coordinating the entire field training program.

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7. Incident Reports

An Incident Report, in a medical facility such as hospitals and nursing homes, is a type of paperwork filled out immediately after and in the case of an incident of some sort, with the goal of describing the incident and its consequences, as well as the measurements taken after or during the incident, as well as any other information relevant to said incident. Such an incident might be a patient acting out or a patient being injured.

Here's how patrol sergeants use incident reports:

Investigate suspicious activity; compile detailed incident reports, document all critical information.
Reviewed incident reports and provided suggestions and recommendations for improvement and further investigation.

8. Emergency Calls

Here's how patrol sergeants use emergency calls:

Respond to emergency and non-emergency calls for service, and investigation of assigned incidents.
Prioritize emergency calls and investigations.

9. Citizen Complaints

Here's how patrol sergeants use citizen complaints:

Investigate Officer involved incidents or citizen complaints against Officers to include counseling and/or recommendations for disciplinary action.
Assigned duties also included the investigation and resolution of citizen complaints concerning department personnel and/or policy.

10. Performance Evaluations

Performance evaluation is a formal and productive process to measure an employee's work and results based on their job responsibilities over a defined period of time and to properly measure an employee's contribution to the workforce and employers and achieve a high level of quality and quantity of work produced. The evaluation also helps employees provide information about deficiencies in job performance and the company's expectations for the future.

Here's how patrol sergeants use performance evaluations:

Prepared shift notices and assignments, conducted performance evaluation and made recommendations in matters concerning employee discipline and retention.
Drive professional development through performance evaluation and advisement, documenting disciplinary needs as well as commendations.

11. Community Relations

Community Relations refers to the relationship-building strategies companies use with surrounding communities. These relationships are often mutually-beneficial, where a company will support local organizations and communities and receive a stronger customer basis. This differs from public relations, as the focus of community relations is building relationships and goodwill within a community rather than presenting a company's work to the public.

Here's how patrol sergeants use community relations:

Supervised law enforcement personnel involved in traffic and field patrol, investigations crime prevention, community relations & related activities.
Saved Department thousands of dollars by cultivating community relationships and securing donations for annual National Night Out events.

12. Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions refer to a corrective measure taken against an employee for unsatisfactory behavior. Many work environments have a tiered system for disciplinary action, where the first warning is verbal and the second is written. Disciplinary action may be given after a weak performance review, a violation of company rules and policies, or a poor customer review.

Here's how patrol sergeants use disciplinary actions:

Supervised and evaluated the performance of subordinates including disciplinary actions, training and counseling.
Conducted complaint inquires and participated in disciplinary actions.

13. Traffic Control

Traffic control helps in the supervision of the movement of vehicles, goods, and people for safety and efficiency.

Here's how patrol sergeants use traffic control:

Established schedules and methods for providing law enforcement, traffic control, crime prevention, and administrative services.
Traffic enforcement: motor vehicle rules and regulations, DWI Enforcement, collision investigation and traffic control.

14. State Laws

Here's how patrol sergeants use state laws:

Patrol Deputy Sheriff enforced Arizona State Laws
Performed a full range of police work to protect life and property through the enforcement of New Mexico state laws.

15. Critical Incidents

Here's how patrol sergeants use critical incidents:

Supervised and coordinated initial police response to critical incidents such as homicides, barricaded gunmen and fatal vehicle accidents.
Ensured proper response from law enforcement officers during major investigations and critical incidents, i.e.

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What skills help Patrol Sergeants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on patrol sergeant resumes?

Amanda Graham Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

Completed Degree - Although not required for most departments around the country, the completion of a higher-ed degree in any subject signals to hiring committees that the applicant is (1) seeking to improve themselves, (2) open to learning new things, and (3) capable of finishing a goal that they set out to reach.

A second language - Particularly for candidates that speak Spanish fluently, the ability to speak a second language is of increasing importance as communities around the country continue to diversify.

What soft skills should all patrol sergeants possess?

Amanda Graham Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

Verbal Communication - The ability to talk to/hold a conversation with a stranger is essential in the human enterprise of policing. It is one of the best tools and officer has with them to address any situation.

Ethical Decision-Making (Using Discretion Appropriately) - The ability to make the best decision in a given situation is absolutely critical in policing. Not only do officers need to have sound and logical judgment, but also the capacity to make ethically sound decisions helps to prevent the introduction of bias into the criminal justice system.

What hard/technical skills are most important for patrol sergeants?

Logan Somers Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

A significant portion of an officer's day can often be spent filling out paperwork. Every stop, citation, warrant, arrest, or use of force incident typically requires forms that need to be filled out and sent to supervisors for review. This makes the ability to write proficiently and provide a descriptive narrative of events crucial for day-to-day police work.

What patrol sergeant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

The economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic apparently has brought uncertainty to the job market, and job opportunities, especially in some of the social sciences, are reduced. There is an old Turkish saying, "bread is in the mouth of the lion" (ekmek aslanın ağzında) that sums it up nicely. It implies that it is a struggle to make a living. Life after college is not easy. There is too much competition in the job market. Suppose graduates need to take a gap year. In that case, they need to continue to learn after graduation—an extra set of skills that can put them ahead of other applicants—learning another language can put the graduates on the top of other candidates since there are plenty of applicants just like them. Becoming fluent in a second language can bring graduates several advantages.

They can also apply for internship programs of local and federal criminal justice agencies during a gap year. The graduates can observe a criminal justice agency's working environment and the culture of a specific community. They can decide if they want to serve in the organization and the community. They should also consider international organizations' internship programs, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) or Office of Counter-Terrorism internship programs. The UNODC has an office in New York. This internship program provides a framework for students (enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a bachelor's level or equivalent degree programs) to develop their professional skills and gain practical work experience in an international environment. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, applicants may be requested to undertake the internship online.

Do you want to know more?

List of patrol sergeant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a patrol sergeant resume and required skills for a patrol sergeant to have include:

Patrol
Law Enforcement Agencies
Public Safety
Personnel Problems
Emergency Situations
Field Training
Incident Reports
Emergency Calls
Citizen Complaints
Performance Evaluations
Community Relations
Disciplinary Actions
Traffic Control
State Laws
Critical Incidents
Firearms
Direct Supervision

Patrol Division
Criminal Cases
Federal Laws
Traffic Laws
Review Reports
FTO
Police Reports
Criminal Investigations
Patrol Operations
Crime Prevention
Local Laws
Traffic Enforcement
Emergency Response
Police Operations
Background Investigations
Subpoenas
Internal Investigations

Traffic Accidents
K-9
Criminal Law
Criminal Acts
Investigative Reports
Traffic Violations
Domestic Violence
Patrol Activities
Career Development
Pepper Spray
DEA
DUI
City Ordinances
Court Cases
Road Patrol
SGT

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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