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The differences between police officers and patrol 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 $35,621 average annual salary of a patrol officer.
The top three skills for a police officer include patrol, public safety and law enforcement agencies. The most important skills for a patrol officer are patrol, customer service, and public safety.
| Police Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,638 | $35,621 |
| Hourly rate | $25.31 | $17.13 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 116,287 | 123,265 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Police officers are responsible for keeping peace and security in a community. They uphold and enforce the law. They ensure that people in their assigned community follow the law. They also ensure that proper sanctions are given out to anyone who does not follow. Some police officers are assigned in the field, meaning they work outside of police stations. Those assigned to police stations are responsible for maintaining administrative matters as well, aside from maintaining peace and order. Police officers are expected to be trustworthy, to work with honor, and to keep their integrity intact.
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.
Police officers and patrol officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Police Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average salary | $52,638 | $35,621 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $71,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Icma-rc | Mount St. Mary's University |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a police officer and a patrol officer in terms of educational background:
| Police Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | Pennsylvania State University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between police officers' and patrol officers' demographics:
| Police Officer | Patrol Officer | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.2% Female, 16.8% | Male, 82.9% Female, 17.1% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |