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Police and Detective Careers
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People depend on police officers and detectives to protect their lives and property. Law enforcement officers, some of whom are State or Federal special agents or inspectors, perform these duties in a variety of ways, depending on the size and type of their organization. In most jurisdictions, they are expected to exercise authority when necessary, whether on or off duty. According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 65 percent of State and local law enforcement officers are uniformed personnel.
Potential Jobs
Uniformed police officers who work in municipal police departments
of various sizes, small communities, and rural areas have general law
enforcement duties including maintaining regular patrols and responding
to calls for service.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs enforce the law on the county level.
State police officers (sometimes called State troopers or highway patrol officers) arrest criminals Statewide and patrol highways to enforce motor vehicle laws and regulations.
Detectives are plainclothes investigators who gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases.
The Federal Government maintains a high profile in many areas of law enforcement. The U.S. Department of Justice is the largest employer of sworn Federal officers.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents enforce laws and regulations relating to illegal drugs.
U.S. marshals and deputy marshals protect the Federal courts and ensure the effective operation of the judicial system.
U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) agents and inspectors facilitate the entry of legal visitors and immigrants to the United States and detain and deport those arriving illegally.
U.S. Border Patrol agents protect more than 8,000 miles of international land and water boundaries.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) agents regulate and investigate violations of Federal firearms and explosives laws, as well as Federal alcohol and tobacco tax regulations.
Customs agents investigate violations of narcotics smuggling, money laundering, child pornography, customs fraud, and enforcement of the Arms Export Control Act.
Customs inspectors inspect cargo, baggage, and articles worn or carried by people and carriers including vessels, vehicles, trains and aircraft entering or leaving the United States to enforce laws governing imports and exports.
U.S. Secret Service special agents protect the President, Vice President, and their immediate families; Presidential candidates; former Presidents; and foreign dignitaries visiting the United States. Secret Service agents also investigate counterfeiting, forgery of Government checks or bonds, and fraudulent use of credit cards.
The U.S. Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security special agents are engaged in the battle against terrorism.
Other Federal agencies employ police and special agents with sworn arrest powers and the authority to carry firearms. These agencies include the U.S. Postal Service, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Law Enforcement under the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Park Service under the U.S. Department of the Interior, and Federal Air Marshals under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Working Conditions
Police work can be very dangerous and stressful. In addition to the obvious
dangers of confrontations with criminals, officers need to be constantly
alert and ready to deal appropriately with a number of other threatening
situations. Many law enforcement officers witness death and suffering
resulting from accidents and criminal behavior. A career in law enforcement
may take a toll on officers' private lives.
Uniformed officers, detectives, agents, and inspectors are usually scheduled to work 40-hour weeks, but paid overtime is common. Shiftwork is necessary because protection must be provided around the clock. Junior officers frequently work weekends, holidays, and nights. Police officers and detectives are required to work at any time their services are needed and may work long hours during investigations. In most jurisdictions, whether on or off duty, officers are expected to be armed and to exercise their arrest authority whenever necessary.
The jobs of some Federal agents such as U.S. Secret Service and DEA special agents require extensive travel, often on very short notice. They may relocate a number of times over the course of their careers.
Employment
Police and detectives held about 834,000 jobs in 2000. About 80 percent
were employed by local governments. State police agencies employed about
13 percent and various Federal agencies employed about 6 percent. A small
proportion worked for schools, railroads, transit agencies, or private
detective, guard, and armored car services.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, police and detectives employed by local governments primarily worked in cities with more than 25,000 inhabitants. Some cities have very large police forces, while thousands of small communities employ fewer than 25 officers each. Forty-six local, special, and State agencies employed 1,000 or more full-time sworn officers, while approximately 7,000 departments employed fewer than 10 each.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Civil service regulations govern the appointment of police and detectives
in practically all States, large municipalities, and special police agencies,
as well as in many smaller ones. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually
at least 20 years of age, and must meet rigorous physical and personal
qualifications. In the Federal Government, candidates must be at least
21 years of age but less than 37 years of age at the time of appointment.
Physical examinations for entrance into law enforcement often include
tests of vision, hearing, strength, and agility. Eligibility for appointment
usually depends on performance in competitive written examinations and
previous education and experience. In larger departments, where the majority
of law enforcement jobs are found, applicants usually must have at least
a high school education. Federal and State agencies typically require
a college degree. Candidates should enjoy working with people and meeting
the public.
Because personal characteristics such as honesty, sound judgment, integrity, and a sense of responsibility are especially important in law enforcement, candidates are interviewed by senior officers, and their character traits and backgrounds are investigated. In some agencies, candidates are interviewed by a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or given a personality test. Most applicants are subjected to lie detector examinations or drug testing. Some agencies subject sworn personnel to random drug testing as a condition of continuing employment.
Before their first assignments, officers usually go through a period of training. In State and large local departments, recruits get training in their agency's police academy, often for 12 to 14 weeks.
In small agencies, recruits often attend a regional or State academy. Training includes classroom instruction in constitutional law and civil rights, State laws and local ordinances, and accident investigation. Recruits also receive training and supervised experience in patrol, traffic control, use of firearms, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response. Police departments in some large cities hire high school graduates who are still in their teens as police cadets or trainees. They do clerical work and attend classes, usually for 1 to 2 years, at which point they reach the minimum age requirement and may be appointed to the regular force.
Job Outlook
The opportunity for public service through law enforcement work is attractive
to many because the job is challenging and involves much personal responsibility.
Furthermore, law enforcement officers in many agencies may retire with
a pension after 20 or 25 years of service, allowing them to pursue a second
career while still in their 40s. Because of relatively attractive salaries
and benefits, the number of qualified candidates exceeds the number of
job openings in Federal law enforcement agencies and in most State police
departments-resulting in increased hiring standards and selectivity by
employers. Competition is expected to remain keen for the higher paying
jobs with State and Federal agencies and police departments in more affluent
areas. Opportunities will be better in local and special police departments,
especially in departments that offer relatively low salaries or urban
communities where the crime rate is relatively high.
Employment of police and detectives is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2010. A more security-conscious society and concern about drug-related crimes should contribute to the increasing demand for police services. At the local and State levels, growth is likely to continue as long as crime remains a serious concern. However, employment growth at the Federal level will be tempered by continuing budgetary constraints faced by law enforcement agencies.
Total earnings for local, State, and special police and detectives frequently exceed the stated salary because of payments for overtime, which can be significant. In addition to the common benefits-paid vacation, sick leave, and medical and life insurance-most police and sheriffs' departments provide officers with special allowances for uniforms. Because police officers usually are covered by liberal pension plans, many retire at half-pay after 20 or 25 years of service.
Reprinted from the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/oco).
