Skip navigation

Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Also called: Deputy, Deputy Sheriff, Patrol Officer, Police Officer

Where in the military? In the military: see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.

Watch Career Video

What they do:
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.
On the job, you would:
  • Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
  • Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
  • Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.

Knowledge

Safety and Government
  • law and government
  • public safety and security
Arts and Humanities
  • English language
Math and Science
  • psychology
  • geography
Business
  • customer service

Skills

Basic Skills
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • talking to others
Social
  • understanding people's reactions
  • changing what is done based on other people's actions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Verbal
  • listen and understand what people say
  • communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
  • notice when problems happen
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
Visual Understanding
  • see hidden patterns
  • quickly know what you are looking at
Physical Strength
  • use your lower back and stomach

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include leading, making decisions, and business.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Self Control
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Attention to Detail
  • Leadership

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Data base user interface and query software
  • Database software
  • Microsoft Access Hot Technology
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology
Graphics or photo imaging software
  • Computer aided composite drawing software
  • SmugMug Flickr

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
high school diploma/GED or
certificate after high school
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Find Licenses Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$64,610
$40,190
$102,530
Check out my state Local Salary Info Find Jobs

Explore More

See more details at O*NET OnLine about police and sheriff's patrol officers.