Some people want to get paid for something more than a job: they want a vocation, a challenge and a charge to keep; for these people police employment is often an opportunity to make a living while making a difference. Police officers around the world keep our communities safe while taking bold and life-threatening risks which make ordinary men and women into heroes. Whether it is nabbing criminals, responding to emergencies or helping victims in their search for justice, the work of policing is never boring. Police employment isn’t for everybody, and it isn’t easy, but it is exciting and steady—two things most jobs nowadays can’t claim.
What Police Work Involves
Police employment seems like something anybody could describe—pulling people over, making arrests, getting into chases, shootouts, etc. This is mostly fantasy and only the tip of the policing iceberg. In fact, police work can often be tedious, with much paperwork and high stress. In most of the US and EU at least some college education is required for police candidates, though this is not true for many smaller departments and bachelor’s degrees aren’t usually necessary. An associate’s degree from a junior college usually suffices—a route which can save you money. All police officers go through the academy—usually about three to six months long. Those seeking police employment should be in relatively decent shape, of sound mind and have a clean criminal background. You will be required to spend a lot of time in cars, at desks and sitting, but at other times you may be standing for hours (or even running or fighting). You will be taught most of the professional skills you need—questioning witnesses, proper procedure, firearms and defensive tactics—in the academy, but you have a better chance of getting hired if you have good written and verbal skills, and any background with the law or self-defense.
Police Work Career Path
After you’ve gained police employment and training you will probably be assigned to patrol. These are the officers you see cruising the streets, enforcing traffic laws and responding to emergencies. You will at some point be pulling night shifts and will work long and grueling hours. After a few years of patrol work, various opportunities for advancement open up. One is to promote into the command structure—supervising and coordinating other patrol officers. This path can lead to higher and higher levels of authority and responsibility, usually going from Sergeant to Lieutenant to Captain to Deputy Chief to Chief (though different departments have different ranking systems). The other most common advancement is to enter into detective work. Different detective departments may include undercover work, narcotics, vice, property crime or crimes against persons investigation. Training for advancement in investigation usually involves courses offered by your department and frequent workshops or conventions which will hone your skills. Professional development in police employment, however, usually comes from working cases. There are many more people who want to be cops or detectives than ever actually make it. The competition—particularly for promotion once inside—can be stiff, and only the truly tough succeed.
Pay and Benefits
Remember: you won’t become wealthy from police employment, but your paycheck is secure, there is always a demand. Some small and cash-strapped agencies may only pay $25,000 or $30,000 to begin with, but some of the best departments will start you out closer to $40,000. The low to mid $30s is probably average. Most states and European countries have some sort of public police pension fund which will ensure a comfortable retirement, and top notch health insurance is the norm. Worldwide, police work is often a lower class job, and can be poorly paying in poor countries (yet still above average for those places), contributing to corruption. As you get promoted and work overtime you can make $60,000 or more a year from police work.
Police Employers
As we have said, police employment is one of the securest fields to be in. Local and state budgeting can affect job security at times, but in general police officers never get pink slipped. Police are also usually organized into a public service union of some sort, an organization which fights for better pay and work conditions, though they are typically barred from striking. In different countries different levels of government are primary in police employment. In the United States the vast majority of officers are employed by local police departments, county sheriff’s departments or other local agencies such as constables or DA investigators. There are also typically state enforcement agencies—the state police or highway patrol along with alcohol commissions and investigative agencies—and federal agencies like the FBI, DEA and BATF. In much of Asia and Latin America the federal Department of the Interior or other national agencies controls much of the police. In Europe, regional, state or provincial agencies are most common. If you can’t get a job with the department of your choice, lower level agencies or more specialized departments like the constables might have a spot for you.
Online Police Employment Resources
There are two online resources for anyone interested in police employment. PoliceEmployment.com is a one stop shop for all your needs—they offer links to online educators so you can get college credits, a job board and information about where to get police training. Similar to this site is JobCop.com which has books for sale which offer practice police exams, getting you ready for the tests which will be coming your way when you apply. They also have college courses linked and an extensive job board.
In Conclusion
Every year thousands of people apply for work as police officers, and millions dream of one day being a cop. The sad truth is that the vast majority of these men and women won’t ever get the chance—police work is demanding, dangerous, stressful and tests what you are made of. Only a few have what it takes. Yet with the right training and attitude you can be on your way to an exciting and fulfilling career in police employment.
