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Public safety officer vs law enforcement officer

The differences between public safety officers and law enforcement officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a law enforcement officer has an average salary of $39,219, which is higher than the $36,596 average annual salary of a public safety officer.

The top three skills for a public safety officer include patrol, patients and public safety. The most important skills for a law enforcement officer are patrol, public safety, and emergency situations.

Public safety officer vs law enforcement officer overview

Public Safety OfficerLaw Enforcement Officer
Yearly salary$36,596$39,219
Hourly rate$17.59$18.86
Growth rate3%3%
Number of jobs122,048105,817
Job satisfaction44
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

What does a public safety officer do?

Public relations assistants are professionals who are responsible for creating and distributing promotional materials to help clients increase their public image and awareness of their products and services. These assistants are required to help develop and distribute public relations materials such as brochures, pamphlets, newsletters, and sell sheets. They must handle all the communications of their clients to the public by supervising social media content, press releases, and emails. Public relations assistants must also gather materials to be used in trade shows or client presentations.

What does a law enforcement officer do?

The duties of a law enforcement officer depend on their line of work or agency of employment. In general, they are responsible for enforcing laws and regulations, prioritizing the safety of citizens and the protection of the city. Typically, their responsibilities include patrolling their designated area, responding to distress, monitoring suspicious activities and characters, conducting investigations and inspections, and coordinating various services to assist citizens. Moreover, as a law enforcement officer, it is essential to serve as a role model for citizens and uphold the oath to serve and protect.

Public safety officer vs law enforcement officer salary

Public safety officers and law enforcement officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Public Safety OfficerLaw Enforcement Officer
Average salary$36,596$39,219
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $46,000Between $30,000 And $50,000
Highest paying CityNew Britain, CTSeattle, WA
Highest paying stateNorth DakotaWashington
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of Nebraska System
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between public safety officer and law enforcement officer education

There are a few differences between a public safety officer and a law enforcement officer in terms of educational background:

Public Safety OfficerLaw Enforcement Officer
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 38%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldPennsylvania State University

Public safety officer vs law enforcement officer demographics

Here are the differences between public safety officers' and law enforcement officers' demographics:

Public Safety OfficerLaw Enforcement Officer
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 76.7% Female, 23.3%Male, 80.3% Female, 19.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.1% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between public safety officer and law enforcement officer duties and responsibilities

Public safety officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage litigation and bankruptcy matters.
  • Apply hand cuffs, restraints and calm combative irate people, handling emergency situations, report writing, CPR, a.
  • Patrol campus, answer calls: fire, police, ems.
  • Engage in assistance for medical staff in dangerous situations, patient restraints, heavy lifting, and area access.
  • Monitor campus radio and cameras, dispatch emergency calls, issue summonses and utilize the NYSPIN computer communication network.
  • Involve in patient restraints and aggressive patient/visitor confrontations.
  • Show more

Law enforcement officer example responsibilities.

  • Attend NCO leadership school and receive training on how to properly, and effectively manage personnel.
  • Accomplish scheduled and random security checks of control and classify areas to ensure compliance with DOD resource protection guidelines.
  • Develop and manage firearms training programs, including weapons selection and qualification standards.
  • Operate QRV solo, backing up BLS ambulances.
  • Certify in defensive tactics, firearms, driver's training, professional first aid and CPR.
  • DOT and FMCSA regulation enforcement.
  • Show more

Public safety officer vs law enforcement officer skills

Common public safety officer skills
  • Patrol, 18%
  • Patients, 17%
  • Public Safety, 12%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Emergency Situations, 5%
Common law enforcement officer skills
  • Patrol, 26%
  • Public Safety, 10%
  • Emergency Situations, 7%
  • Criminal Justice, 6%
  • CPR, 3%
  • Metal Detectors, 3%

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