Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

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.

What you'd actually do

• 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.
• Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
• Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
• Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.1% of police and sheriff's patrol officers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, hands-on and take-charge.

Related careers

• First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
• Transportation Security Screeners
• First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators
• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
• First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other

Quick questions

How much does a police and sheriff's patrol officer make?

The median pay is $36.64 per hour — roughly $76,000 a year, with the real range running from about $22.84/hr (10th percentile) to $55.35/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a police and sheriff's patrol officer?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a police and sheriff's patrol officer actually do all day?

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.