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Career

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $76,210 Median per year · $36.64/hr Most earn $47,510–$115,120

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
  • Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
  • Patrol and guard courthouses, grand jury rooms, or assigned areas to provide security, enforce laws, maintain order, and arrest violators.
  • Provide road information to assist motorists.
  • Process prisoners, and prepare and maintain records of prisoner bookings and prisoner status during booking and pre-trial process.
  • Locate and confiscate real or personal property, as directed by court order.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 51,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals84.7%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals8.9%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools2.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: None

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: NoneEntry-level

Police and sheriff's patrol officer is an entry-level job. Most people start right after high school or a short college program plus police academy training, with no prior work experience needed.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a strong general education, with good communication, writing, and math skills, and keep a clean record, since most agencies run background checks.

  2. Police academy certificate or apprenticeship

    A few months to about a year, depending on the state or agency

    Complete required training in law, patrol procedures, defensive tactics, firearms, and first aid. Passing it, and any written and physical tests, qualifies you to be hired.

  3. Police Officer

    Ongoing career; the first 1-2 years are usually a probation period

    Patrol an assigned area, respond to calls, direct traffic, investigate accidents, and make arrests. Strong performance can lead to specialized roles or promotion.

Where it can lead

  1. Detective

    1-2 years of experience first

    Detectives and criminal investigators focus on solving specific crimes, often after several years of patrol work and by building a record of strong case work.

  2. Sergeant (First-Line Supervisor of Police and Detectives)

    Several years as an officer of experience first

    Sergeants lead and train other officers, handle shift supervision, and review reports. Promotion usually depends on experience, performance, and passing a promotional exam.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take English, government, and civics classesStrong writing and knowledge of how laws and courts work will help you in police reports and academy classes.
  • Join a leadership or student government clubLeading a group builds the teamwork and decision-making skills that officers use every day.
  • Get physically active through a sports team or fitness classAcademy training includes physical tests, so building endurance now gives you a head start.
  • Volunteer with a community or youth organizationHelping people in your town shows you enjoy public service and gives you experience working with the public.
  • Look into a school or community program related to law enforcementMany schools and towns offer career exploration days, law-related clubs, or youth programs that let you learn what the work involves.

In college

  • Study criminal justice, criminology, or a related fieldA relevant major builds knowledge of laws, policing, and ethics, and some agencies prefer or reward a degree.
  • Get a part-time job that involves customer service or public contactWorking with the public in jobs like retail, security, or campus services builds calm communication and conflict-handling skills.
  • Seek an internship with a police department, sheriff's office, or courthouseEven a short internship or civilian role shows you how agencies operate and strengthens your job applications.
  • Take a first aid or CPR certification courseOfficers are often first to respond to emergencies, so this certification is useful and easy to add to your resume.
  • Join a campus club focused on public service or lawClubs like debate, mock trial, or a volunteer group build public speaking, teamwork, and community connections.

Tips for getting started

  • Check your state or local police department's age, education, and background requirements early, since they vary a lot from place to place.
  • Stay physically fit and get comfortable with public speaking and teamwork, since the academy and daily patrol work both test these skills.
  • Ask a local officer or ride-along program coordinator, if your area has one, what a typical shift looks like.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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