| | A criminal justice degree can help prepare you for work as one of your city's dedicated law enforcement agents. As a police officer, you'll maintain law and order, collect evidence and conduct criminal investigations. You might be patrolling a neighborhood to keep residents safe, responding to a call for help, or participating in a SWAT team raid. | When the going gets tough, we're all glad to have the best and brightest in our police force. If you've ever thought of becoming a police officer, you should know what some of your job options are. - Urban police officers have general law enforcement duties including maintaining regular patrols and responding to calls for help. Many are assigned to patrol a specific area, such as a business district or residential neighborhood.
- Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs enforce the law on the county level. Sheriffs, who are elected to their posts, perform duties similar to those of a local or county police chief. A deputy sheriff in a large agency has duties similar to those of officers in urban police departments.
- Detectives gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. They conduct interviews, examine records, observe the activities of suspects, and participate in raids or arrests.
- State police officers, also known as highway patrol officers, arrest criminals statewide and patrol highways to enforce motor vehicle laws and regulations. At the scene of accidents, they may direct traffic, give first aid or call for emergency equipment.
Police Officer: Prerequisites At minimum, you need to be a US citizen over 20 years old, not be a convicted felon, have earned a high school diploma or a GED, and pass several competitive written and physical examinations. If you're thinking of working at the state or federal level, you should know that federal and state law enforcement agencies require a college degree. Education & Training Many law enforcement agencies encourage applicants to complete either a 2-year associate's program or a four-year bachelor's program in a criminal justice-related area. Knowledge of a foreign language and being physically fit will also help you cultivate a career in law enforcement. Once you're accepted by a law enforcement agency, you'll receive 12-to-14 weeks of training in a police academy. Training includes classroom instruction in constitutional law and civil rights, state laws and local ordinances, and accident investigation. Recruits also receive training in patrol, traffic control, firearms usage, self-defense, first aid and emergency response. Continuing education is also required for police officers and detectives. Many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to earn a degree in criminal justice, justice administration or public administration, and pay higher salaries to those who earn such degrees.
Career Opportunities In a large department, police officers may be promoted to detective or to a specialty area of police work, such as juvenile justice administration. Promotions to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and captain are usually made according to a candidate's position on a promotion list, depending on your on-the-job performance and examination scores. Many officers retire with a pension after only 20 or 25 years of service, and pursue a second career while still in their 40s. For more details, read about the chain of command at the police department. Salary According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, police and sheriff's patrol officers had median annual earnings of $48,410 in 2006. Police chiefs, deputy chiefs, captains, lieutenants and sergeants earned between $52,000 and $78,600 per year. In 2006, detectives and criminal investigators earned on average $60,390 per year. Competition is keen for the higher paying jobs with state and federal agencies and police departments in more affluent areas.
 Related Articles: Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Criminal Justice Home
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Specialties At a Glance Learn about the careers below to see which one suits you best. InterviewsDid You Know... Police Fun Facts- In the United States, the first organized police forces were established in Boston in 1838, New York in 1844, and Philadelphia in 1854.
- As of 2002, 13.5% of the LAPD is African-American, 34.2% is Latino, and 6.9% is Asian or Pacific Islander.
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