How To Become A Uniform Patrol Police Officer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a uniform patrol police officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a uniform patrol police officer. For example, did you know that they make an average of $18.92 an hour? That's $39,353 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 3% and produce 20,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a uniform patrol police officer?

Dr. Durmus Alper CAMLIBEL Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh

They need to avoid being overzealous officers. They should not put their career at the center of their life. They need to spend quality time with their family. In law enforcement, good relations with the public and colleagues are essential. They need to develop good relationships with the people and their colleagues and expand their professional network. They always try to be a "problem solver officer" rather than a "problem creator officer." If someone asks for help from them, they should treat this person with dignity and respect. They should avoid being arrogant in their interaction with the public. Because arrogance is the worst plague, and Humility is the greatest virtue.

ScoreUniform Patrol Police OfficerUS Average

Salary

3.1

Avg. Salary $39,353

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.98%

Asian 2.94%

Black or African American 15.82%

Hispanic or Latino 14.66%

Unknown 4.61%

White 60.98%

Gender

female 7.27%

male 92.73%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.0

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a uniform patrol police officer

Explore uniform patrol police officer education requirements

Most common uniform patrol police officer degrees

Bachelor's

58.6 %

Associate

27.6 %

Certificate

6.9 %

Start to develop specific uniform patrol police officer skills

Skills	Percentages
Patrol	38.93%
Crime Scenes	16.56%
County Ordinances	8.28%
City Streets	7.89%
Motor Vehicle	6.65%

Complete relevant uniform patrol police officer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New uniform patrol police officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a uniform patrol police officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real uniform patrol police officer resumes.

Research uniform patrol police officer duties and responsibilities

Manage surveillance of DUI traffic offenders in Jacksonville
Perform standard patrol officer policing functions.
Handle security patrols, civil disturbance, criminal investigation, accident investigation and firearms certification training to local officers.
Manage surveillance of DUI traffic offenders in Jacksonville

Apply for uniform patrol police officer jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a uniform patrol police officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do uniform patrol police officers rate their job?

-/5

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Uniform patrol police officer reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2020

Pros

I enjoy the freedom I’m allowed.

Cons

How political the job has become. There isn’t a correct way to do your job. Almost everyone wants to get you fired. It’s annoying.