Research Summary. We analyzed 13,350 police officer resumes to determine which ones land the most jobs. Below you'll find examples of resumes that can help you get an interview (and a job offer) from companies like City of New York and Dodea. Here are the key facts about police officer resumes to help you get the job:

  • The average police officer resume is 368 words long
  • The average police officer resume is 0.8 pages long based on 450 words per page.
  • Patrol is the most common skill found on a police officer resume. It appears on 27.4% of resumes.
After learning about how to write a professional police officer resume, you can make sure your resume checks all the boxes with our resume builder.

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Police Officer Resume Example

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Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Police Officer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Police Officer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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What Should Be Included In A Police Officer Resume

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1. Add Contact Information To Your Police Officer Resume

Your name should be the biggest text on the page and be at or near the top of the document.

Your address doesn't need to include your street name or house number - listing your city and state works just fine.

Your email address should be professional, but not your current work email address. It's not a good look to use your work email for personal projects (job-searching).

Your social media can be included if you have a fully-fledged LinkedIn page or another social media page that showcases your relevant skill set.

Police Officer Resume Contact Information Example #1

Hank Rutherford Hill

St. Arlen, Texas | 333-111-2222 | hank.hill@gmail.com

Do you want to know more?
How To Write The Perfect Resume Header
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2. Add Your Relevant Education To The Resume

Your resume's education section should include:

  • The name of your school
  • The date you graduated (Month, Year or Year are both appropriate)
  • The name of your degree
If you graduated more than 15 years ago, you should consider dropping your graduation date to avoid age discrimination.

Optional subsections for your education section include:

  • Academic awards (Dean's List, Latin honors, etc. )
  • GPA (if you're a recent graduate and your GPA was 3.5+)
  • Extra certifications
  • Academic projects (thesis, dissertation, etc.)

Other tips to consider when writing your education section include:

  • If you're a recent graduate, you might opt to place your education section above your experience section
  • The more work experience you get, the shorter your education section should be
  • List your education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and high-ranking degrees first
  • If you haven't graduated yet, you can include "Expected graduation date" to the entry for that school

Majors
3.9%
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Police Officer Resume Relevant Education Example #1

High School Diploma 2014 - 2016

Police Officer Resume Relevant Education Example #2

High School Diploma 2014 - 2016

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3. Next, Create A Police Officer Skills Section On Your Resume

Your resume's skills section should include the most important keywords from the job description, as long as you actually have those skills. If you haven't started your job search yet, you can look over resumes to get an idea of what skills are the most important.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing your resume's skills section:

  • Include 6-12 skills, in bullet point form
  • List mostly hard skills; soft skills are hard to test
  • Emphasize the skills that are most important for the job
Hard skills are generally more important to hiring managers because they relate to on-the-job knowledge and specific experience with a certain technology or process.

Soft skills are also valuable, as they're highly transferable and make you a great person to work alongside, but they're impossible to prove on a resume.

Example Of Police Officer Skills For Resume

  • Public Safety Skills

    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.

  • CPR Skills

    Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is a medical procedure that involves chest compression to help a patient breathe. This artificial ventilation helps in keeping the brain function in place and regulates blood throughout the body. CPR is a lifesaving procedure that is used in emergencies.

  • Traffic Control Skills

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

  • Crime Scenes Skills

    Crime scenes refer to places or locations of an offence where forensic evidence may get gathered.

  • Firearms Skills

    A firearm is a type of weapon or device used by police, uniformed personnel or other related professional for security and protection purposes. This lethal and destructive weapon can often shoot bullet or missiles. A firearm usually consists of a chamber or barrel, frame body, breech bolt, and a magazine.

  • Federal Laws Skills

    The laws formed and upheld by the federal administrating body of a country are known as federal laws. A federal administrating body or government is formed by a political party after being elected by the general public.

Top Skills for a Police Officer

Source: Zippia.com
  • Patrol, 27.4%
  • Public Safety, 6.4%
  • Law Enforcement Agencies, 5.4%
  • Emergency Situations, 4.8%
  • Other Skills, 56.0%
Not sure which skills are really important?
3 Big Tips For Listing Skills On Your Resume
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4. List Your Police Officer Experience

The most important part of any resume is the experience section. Recruiters and hiring managers expect to see your experience listed in reverse chronological order, meaning that you should begin with your most recent experience and then work backwards.

Don't just list your job duties below each job entry. Instead, make sure most of your bullet points discuss impressive achievements from your past positions. Whenever you can, use numbers to contextualize your accomplishments for the hiring manager reading your resume.

It's okay if you can't include exact percentages or dollar figures. There's a big difference even between saying "Managed a team of engineers" and "Managed a team of 6 engineers over a 9-month project."

Most importantly, make sure that the experience you include is relevant to the job you're applying for. Use the job description to ensure that each bullet point on your resume is appropriate and helpful.

What Experience Really Stands Out On Police Officer Resumes?

T

T.Christopher Bell

Professor, La Sierra University

Students who have good critical thinking skills, communication skills and those that can adapt and improvise will do well in the 21st century. Also, students who have interned, volunteered, or worked in any capacity and showed their ability to be a TEAM PLAYER would have successful careers.Show more

Don't have any experience?
How To Show Your Experience On a Resume... Even When You Don't Have Any
Work History Example # 1
Police Officer
Dover Police Dept.
  • Certified as a General Instructor, Firearms Instructor, RADAR/ LIDAR Instructor, M4 Carbine Instructor, and TASER Instructor.
  • Prepared and preserved evidence in accordance with directives to maintain chain of custody.
  • Maintained custody and control of inmates in various appointments.
  • Created and implemented security standards, policies, and procedures.
  • Testified in criminal and civil proceedings.
Work History Example # 2
Police Officer
Allied Barton Security SERV
  • Passed psyche evaluation, polygraph tests, and qualified in firearms.
  • Monitored cctv, and reported any issues.
  • Monitored CCTV System to assure safety.
  • Monitored CCTV cameras and utilized other security related tools.
  • Patrolled the facility and served as a general security presence and visible deterrent to crime and rule infractions.
Work History Example # 3
Police Officer
Smith Security
  • Awarded the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the National Defense Medal.
  • Received training in the usage of firearms and firearms safety.
  • Attended police academy which included classroom work, physical training, self defense training, and firearms training.
  • Trained in law enforce tactics and firearms.
  • Completed basic training, certifying in CPR, first aide, AED, and Weapons qualification.
Work History Example # 4
Community Services Officer
California Department of Rehabilitation
  • Conducted daily supervision, control and surveillance of inmates, and enforced policies and procedures.
  • Accompanied dignitaries such as Governor Brown, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg on facility tours.
  • Administered CPR and first aid.
  • Escorted inmates to desired locations inside and outside the facility.
  • Identified and developed solutions to communication deficiencies between Parking Department and university customers through creation of medical contract.
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5. Highlight Your Police Officer Certifications On Resume

Certifications can be a powerful tool to show employers that you know your stuff. If you have any of these certifications, make sure to put them on your police officer resume:

  1. Communications Training Officer (CTO)
  2. OSHA Safety Certificate
  3. Certified Corrections Officer (CCO)
  4. First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor
  5. Certified Security Supervision & Management (CSS)
  6. Certified Criminal Investigator
  7. Certified Personal Trainer
  8. Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law
  9. EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA)
  10. Physical Security Certification (PSC)

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6. Finally, Add a Police Officer Resume Summary Or Objective Statement

A resume summary statement is a 1-3 sentence spiel at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. In this section, include your job title, years of experience (if it's 3+), and an impressive accomplishment, if you have space for it.

Remember to address skills and experiences that are emphasized in the job description.

Are you a recent grad?
Read our guide on how to write a resume summary statement

And if you’re looking for a high-paying job, here are jobs in the top places hiring now:

  1. Police Officer Jobs In Anchorage, AK
  2. Police Officer Jobs In Bellingham, WA
  3. Police Officer Jobs In Richmond, CA
  4. Police Officer Jobs In Eugene, OR
  5. Police Officer Jobs In Boulder, CO

Five Key Resume Tips For Writing A Police Officer Resume:

1.
Relevant Experience
Make sure that the jobs, experience, and accolades that you include are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
2.
The Right Skills
This is a great time to run wild with those keywords from the job description. For example, if they’re looking for someone with experience in Law Enforcement, be sure to list it in your resume’s skills section.
3.
Quantifiable Achievements
Your workplace accomplishments tell the story of the unique value you bring to an organization. Stay away from dry descriptions of job duties. Use numbers to help contextualize your achievements..
4.
ATS-Friendly
An applicant tracking system (ATS) is a piece of software employers use to collect, scan, organize, and rank applications. The key to getting your resume past ATS and into the hands of hiring managers is smart keyword usage.
5.
Impeccable Formatting
Formatting a resume so that it looks professional and attractive is important. With Zippia’s resume builder, you can put together a modern-looking resume in less than 10 minutes. Just choose a resume template that suits your style, answer some questions about your background, and you’ll have a resume that’ll pass muster with both the ATS and the hiring manager.
Not sure how to make a resume that stands out?
See sample resumes for the job you want
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Police Officer Resumes FAQs

What Are Good Skills To Put On A Resume For A Police Officer Job?

Good skills to put on your resume for a police officer job include teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution skills. To succeed in a job as a police officer, the candidates must possess a number of skills, including excellent communication skills and problem-solving.

What Are The Five Characteristics Of Good Police Officers?

The five characteristics of good police officers are integrity, empathy, team orientation, adaptability, and good communication. To succeed in a job as a police officer, the candidates must possess these five characteristics.

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