Police Officer

How to Become a Police Officer

A police officer is paid to uphold justice and enforce the law within a specific area. Duties might include:

  • Patrolling a certain area to keep an eye out for potential lawbreaking (and preventing it from happening).
  • Pursuing and apprehending individuals who break the law.
  • Educating the younger generation of society’s norms, laws, and regulations.
  • Aid in community efforts such as neighborhood watch syndicates.
  • Responding to complaint or distress calls for emergency help.
  • Investigating crime.
  • Assisting the general public.
  • Keeping peace in towns and cities by knowing, enforcing, and upholding the laws of that particular area.

Police officers may work for local, state, or federal agencies. The size of a police force depends on the size of the city. Some cities have very large police forces, while others hire fewer than 25 officers. In large police departments, police officers are often assigned to a specific type of duty such as crime scene investigation.

Police Officer Education Requirements

Most police departments prefer their officers to have a college degree and in certain departments a degree is required. Individuals who wish to become a police officer will need at least one of the following:

  • High School (or GED/equivalent)
  • Associate’s Degree (in criminal justice or a related field)
  • Bachelor’s Degree (in criminal justice or a related field)

Potential police officers will be required to participate in a police academy program for further training. Here, officers learn the basic skills that will be needed on the job.

Police officers will better their chances of promotion to higher rankings as they increase their experience and education. Military experience can also prove to be helpful when looking for a job in a competitive market.

Job Outlook for Police Officers

Currently, the United States has around 750,000 sworn officers and new recruits are continuously being sought out. Job opportunities are excellent for qualified individuals and average employment growth is expected. This is in partly due to our nation’s increased interest in security, as well as steady population growth.
Police officer starting salaries range from $31,369 to $45,946, with experienced officers earning up to $81,071 annually.

Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009 Edition, and Payscale.com