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Trooper skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Logan Somers Ph.D.,

Logan Somers Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical trooper skills. We ranked the top skills for troopers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 27.0% of trooper resumes contained field training as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a trooper needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 trooper skills for your resume and career

1. Field Training

Here's how troopers use field training:

Drug Recognition Expert, Technical Collision Investigator, Mobile Response Team Member, Field Training Officer.
Observed and acted as a probationary trooper, successfully completing the field training program.

2. Patrol

Here's how troopers use patrol:

Patrol Trooper responsible for routine patrol duties including the investigation of vehicular accidents and criminal incidents.
Respond to reported incidents and detect criminal activities during routine patrol operations.

3. Traffic Accidents

Here's how troopers use traffic accidents:

Responded to and investigated traffic accidents that ranged from minor property damage to fatalities.
Reduce traffic accidents through education and enforcement, and professionally investigate accidents.

4. Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pattern of violent, intimidating, or abusive behavior in any relationship committed by someone within the victim's circle - partner, ex-partner, parents, family, and friends, to gain or maintain power and control over the victim. This can be emotional, sexual, social, financial, economic, psychological, spiritual, and/or physical abuse.

Here's how troopers use domestic violence:

Responded to and investigated complaint of domestic violence.
Investigated burglaries, crashes, domestic violence, thefts, assaults and other areas of criminal violations and motor vehicle issues.

5. Criminal Investigations

Here's how troopers use criminal investigations:

Conducted accident, non-criminal, and criminal investigations by collecting and analyzing evidence in collaboration with NYSP team.
Performed criminal investigations conducted public assistance, training, and administrative duties in law enforcement planning and operations.

6. Swat

Here's how troopers use swat:

Served on the State of Georgia SWAT Crisis Negotiation Team.
SWAT member assigned as Sniper Team Commander with 11 years experience as a military and police Sniper /Marksman.

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7. Public Safety

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.

Here's how troopers use public safety:

Worked independently with minimal supervision to maintain public safety at major international airport.
Worked independently with minimal supervision to maintain public safety on state highways.

8. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how troopers use law enforcement agencies:

Developed and maintained relationships with persons associated with other law enforcement agencies, regulatory agencies, and user groups.
Provided information and assistance to public and other law enforcement agencies regarding rules on vehicle equipment.

9. Motor Vehicle Accidents

Here's how troopers use motor vehicle accidents:

Investigated fatal motor vehicle accidents, motor vehicle accidents and incidents.
Investigate motor vehicle accidents, including in-depth investigations involving fatalities.

10. Emergency Situations

Here's how troopers use emergency situations:

Conducted high-speed vehicle chases in serious and emergency situations.
Applied excellent communication skills toward responding to citizen complaints, answering calls, providing customer service and intervening in emergency situations.

11. Traffic Citations

Here's how troopers use traffic citations:

Initiated traffic stops and issued traffic citations.
Issue traffic citations and tickets, and use my judgment when issuing an alcohol Breathalyzer test for potential drunk drivers.

12. Motor Vehicle Laws

Here's how troopers use motor vehicle laws:

Enforce motor vehicle laws among the roads and highways in Vermont, interdicting any criminal activity in association.
Enforce NC motor vehicle laws, traffic accident investigation

13. Physical Evidence

Here's how troopers use physical evidence:

Provide forensic services by responding to crime and accident scenes, examining, documenting, preserving and collecting physical evidence.
Attend autopsies for the purpose of examining, photographing, documenting, preserving and collecting physical evidence.

14. Crime Scenes

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

Here's how troopers use crime scenes:

Investigated and processed crime scenes, collected evidence and interviewed both suspects and witnesses.
Provide security details for crime scenes or major events.

15. Responder

Here's how troopers use responder:

Committed to giving emergency medical treatment to the injured (EMT, First Responder).
Initial responder and supervisor to two homicide scenes.

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What skills help Troopers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on trooper resumes?

Logan Somers Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

Skills and experiences that stand out on Law Enforcement Officer resumes are not too dissimilar from desirable qualities in other industries. First, even though the vast majority of police departments do not have an education requirement beyond high school, most recruits entering the academy do have at least some college experience. Therefore, having an associate's or bachelor's degree will make you competitive. Further, policing in today's society requires officers to be elite communicators, critical thinkers, and problem-solvers. Any prior work experience that can be used to demonstrate how you performed those skills under pressure should be highlighted. Lastly, any prior community service and or mentoring should be included. Having these experiences displays your commitment to improving your community and bettering the lives of those around you.

What soft skills should all troopers possess?

Logan Somers Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

Officers are tasked with handling a wide range of service-oriented (e.g., providing directions, conducting wellness checks, assisting a citizen whose car has broken down) and order maintenance (e.g., attending to noise complaints, settling domestic disputes, directing traffic) duties that go beyond just crime enforcement. This necessitates that an officer must possess numerous intangible skills. These include the ability to communicate effectively and treat citizens in a respectful and courteous manner. Doing this will go a long way towards keeping situations from escalating and building positive community relationships. Officers also have a great deal of discretion, meaning that in most citizen interactions, they have numerous actions and inactions that they can choose from. For example, officers conducting traffic enforcement typically have the discretion to decide who to stop, where to stop them, and whether to give a citation or a warning. Given this great deal of power, having the ability to think critically and ethically are paramount.

What hard/technical skills are most important for troopers?

Logan Somers Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Georgia Southern University

A significant portion of an officer's day can often be spent filling out paperwork. Every stop, citation, warrant, arrest, or use of force incident typically requires forms that need to be filled out and sent to supervisors for review. This makes the ability to write proficiently and provide a descriptive narrative of events crucial for day-to-day police work.

What trooper skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Latarcia Barnes PhD

Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, Associate Professor

This question is difficult to answer because in federal law enforcement, there are different jobs a person can have. The underlying theme is to enforce the laws that the federal government has and to enforce the judgement of a federal judge.

Do you want to know more?

List of trooper skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a trooper resume and required skills for a trooper to have include:

Field Training
Patrol
Traffic Accidents
Domestic Violence
Criminal Investigations
Swat
Public Safety
Law Enforcement Agencies
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Emergency Situations
Traffic Citations
Motor Vehicle Laws
Physical Evidence
Crime Scenes
Responder
Criminal Law

Firearms
Criminal Cases
Police Academy
State Laws
DPS
CPR
Defensive Tactics
DUI
DOT
Traffic Safety
Incident Reports
Traffic Control
Emergency Calls
Federal Laws
Traffic Crashes
Traffic Stops

Vehicle Crashes
Court Testimony
Background Investigations
Hazardous Materials
Local Agencies
Federal Motor
Traffic Violations
Commercial Vehicles
Federal Agencies
Crash Reports
Crash Investigation
Local Laws
Court Proceedings
DWI
Court Cases

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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