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Patrolman vs police officer

The differences between patrolmen and police officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a police officer has an average salary of $52,638, which is higher than the $38,920 average annual salary of a patrolman.

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

Patrolman vs police officer overview

PatrolmanPolice Officer
Yearly salary$38,920$52,638
Hourly rate$18.71$25.31
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs2,194116,287
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

Patrolman vs police officer salary

Patrolmen and police officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

PatrolmanPolice Officer
Average salary$38,920$52,638
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $51,000Between $38,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City-Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Icma-rc
Best paying industry-Government

Differences between patrolman and police officer education

There are a few differences between a patrolman and a police officer in terms of educational background:

PatrolmanPolice Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachPennsylvania State University

Patrolman vs police officer demographics

Here are the differences between patrolmen' and police officers' demographics:

PatrolmanPolice Officer
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 91.3% Female, 8.7%Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 3.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between patrolman and police officer duties and responsibilities

Patrolman example responsibilities.

  • Apprehend violators and log evidence, complete require USAF and DoD forms, and accomplish report.
  • Protect community through regular patrol procedures, follow standards and protocol to ensure public safety and control hostile situations.
  • Investigate suspicious situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area promote good community relations.
  • Provide CPR coordination/training for the public.
  • Instruct and certify police officers and firefighters in CPR and a.
  • Assist other DPS divisions with felony investigations, such as narcotics smuggling.
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Police officer example responsibilities.

  • Apprehend violators and log evidence, complete require USAF and DoD forms, and accomplish report.
  • Train in CPR and first aid, radar speed enforcement, domestic violence intervention, pepper spray, and basic anti-terrorism.
  • Gather preliminary investigation information as a first responder to crime scenes.
  • Perform basic patrol functions including criminal and traffic law enforcement, incident reporting and community relations.
  • Complete numerous testimonies at criminal hearings and traffic violations, serve summons, subpoenas and other official documentation.
  • Patrol MARTA trains and bus lines.
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Patrolman vs police officer skills

Common patrolman skills
  • Patrol, 29%
  • Law Enforcement, 14%
  • Public Safety, 10%
  • Non-Emergency Calls, 3%
  • Crime Scenes, 3%
  • Traffic Control, 2%
Common police officer skills
  • Patrol, 27%
  • Public Safety, 6%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%
  • Emergency Situations, 5%
  • Field Training, 4%
  • CPR, 3%

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