What does a police officer do?
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.
Police officer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real police officer resumes:
- 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.
- Provide system security for MARTA assets, internal and external customers.
- Charge with the safe protection of MTA's personnel and patrons.
- Respond to both emergency and non-emergency dispatch calls as a first responder or provide assistance as needed.
- Transport and escorts prisoners, detainees, and mental patients, using handcuffs and other appropriate restraints.
- Perform CPR and first aid when responding to multiple medical emergencies, some involving major trauma, and death.
- Educate children by creating PowerPoint presentations regarding the dangers associate with Internet use and the importance of cyber safety.
- Provide fingerprinting and Livescan services.
- Prepare and execute search warrants and subpoenas to obtain information relate to criminal investigations.
- Accompany officers on ride-alongs to observe the early detection and apprehension of criminal violators.
Police officer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 27% of Police Officers are proficient in Patrol, Public Safety, and Law Enforcement Agencies. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Empathy, and Good judgment.
We break down the percentage of Police Officers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Patrol, 27%
Supervised and led the Community Oriented patrol unit, consisting of daily encounters with individual neighborhood activists and concerned homeowners.
- Public Safety, 6%
Earned two District Commendations for reducing armed robberies and improving public safety initiatives in high-crime target areas within the appropriate jurisdiction.
- Law Enforcement Agencies, 5%
Developed effective relationships with other municipal, state and federal law enforcement agencies to maximize efforts in responding to criminal activities.
- Emergency Situations, 5%
Applied excellent communication skills toward responding to citizen complaints, answering calls, providing customer service and intervening in emergency situations.
- Field Training, 4%
Field Training Officer Hostage Negotiator Formulate and execute an investigative plan Proactive Patrol Organized Evidence Division First Response to over 250 Homicides
- CPR, 3%
Graduated from the North West Arkansas Police Academy in 2001 with certification regarding: Firearm carry, CLEET, and CPR.
Most police officers use their skills in "patrol," "public safety," and "law enforcement agencies" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential police officer responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a police officer to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what police officers do because "police and detectives must be able to speak with people and to express details in writing about an incident." Additionally, a police officer resume shows how police officers use communication skills: "radio communications operator ,dispatcher,clets,ncic. "
Empathy. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling police officer duties is empathy. The role rewards competence in this skill because "police officers need to understand the perspectives of a variety of people in their jurisdiction and be willing to help the public." According to a police officer resume, here's how police officers can utilize empathy in their job responsibilities: "maintain community relations to foster a better understanding of what the needs are of the citizens. "
Good judgment. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of police officers is good judgment. This skill is critical to many everyday police officer duties, as "police and detectives must be able to determine the best way to solve an array of problems." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "patrol the installation and check physical security measures such as fences and lighting and insure they are in good working order. "
Leadership skills. police officer responsibilities often require "leadership skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "police officers must be comfortable with being a highly visible member of their community, as the public looks to them for help in emergencies." This resume example shows what police officers do with leadership skills on a typical day: "gained significant experience with community relations and effective grassroots communication prior to transition into civic leadership. "
Physical strength. A commonly-found skill in police officer job descriptions, "physical strength" is essential to what police officers do. Police officer responsibilities rely on this skill because "police officers must be strong enough to physically apprehend suspects and to assist people in precarious situations." You can also see how police officer duties rely on physical strength in this resume example: "developed procedures for the emergency response and crisis management, physical security, information protection, incident management and investigation units. "
The three companies that hire the most police officers are:
- Allied Universal15 police officers jobs
- Bon Secours Community Hospital14 police officers jobs
- Cleveland Clinic11 police officers jobs
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Compare different police officers
Police officer vs. Deputy
The duties of a deputy vary on their line of work or place of employment. In law enforcement, a deputy is primarily in charge of conducting investigations on crimes and arresting criminals, performing regular patrols on streets, responding to calls of distress, and assisting citizens in calamities, disasters, accidents, or any forms of threat. There are also instances when a deputy must serve court documents, transport detainees or suspected criminals, and monitor courtrooms. Furthermore, a deputy reports to higher-ranking officers such as a sheriff.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, police officer responsibilities require skills like "field training," "police academy," "criminal justice," and "motor vehicle accidents." Meanwhile a typical deputy has skills in areas such as "transport inmates," "motor vehicle," "human resources," and "emergency calls." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Deputies really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $53,877. Comparatively, police officers tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $53,822.The education levels that deputies earn slightly differ from police officers. In particular, deputies are 6.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a police officer. Additionally, they're 3.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Police officer vs. Criminal investigator
A criminal investigator is a law enforcement professional who endeavors to solve felony crimes. Criminal investigators may work alone or as a member of an investigative team whose goal is to uncover the certainty of a case and potentially keep suspects to prevent the ensuing criminal activity. Their tasks and responsibilities depend on various job functions and specialties. They may specialize in the information and evidence of a crime scene, conduct interviews and searches, or perform surveillance.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that police officer responsibilities requires skills like "public safety," "emergency situations," "field training," and "cpr." But a criminal investigator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "investigative reports," "resourcefulness," "treasury," and "investigative techniques."
Criminal investigators earn a higher average salary than police officers. But criminal investigators earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $52,921. Additionally, police officers earn the highest salaries in the government with average pay of $53,822 annually.In general, criminal investigators achieve similar levels of education than police officers. They're 4.9% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 3.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Police officer vs. Loss prevention analyst
A loss prevention analyst designs and develops loss prevention programs, typically for retail establishments. They are in charge of providing analytical services primarily to avoid or resolve cases of theft and fraud. Among their responsibilities include gathering and analyzing financial and inventory data, inspecting alarm systems and protocols, performing research and analysis to identify the best practices, determining the strengths and weaknesses of current loss prevention techniques, and implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Furthermore, a loss prevention analyst must maintain an active communication line with managers and loss prevention officers for a smooth and efficient workflow.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a police officer is likely to be skilled in "patrol," "public safety," "field training," and "cpr," while a typical loss prevention analyst is skilled in "loss prevention," "customer service," "data loss prevention," and "camera surveillance."
Loss prevention analysts make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $44,380. On the other hand, police officers are paid the highest salary in the government industry, with average annual pay of $53,822.loss prevention analysts typically earn similar educational levels compared to police officers. Specifically, they're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Police officer vs. Loss prevention agent
A loss prevention agent is responsible for averting theft and securing a retail store or similar establishment. They are primarily in charge of monitoring surveillance cameras and roaming around the premises while dressed in civilian clothing, all to observe the surroundings and spot any suspicious behavior. Furthermore, a loss prevention agent must adhere to the policies and standards of the establishment, implement safety and security measures, and coordinate with the police should there be any person caught stealing.
Types of police officer
Updated January 8, 2025
