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The principal responsibility of law enforcement professionals is to protect the lives of citizens in their community in addition to protecting property and restoring order. Televisions and movies have attempted to glamorize the field of law enforcement, but in reality, it can be an extremely dangerous job, and police officers stand the risk of being injured or even killed in the line of duty. Daily activities of police officers may include traffic stops for speeding drivers, high-speed chases, responding to suspicious activity, and dealing with burglaries, in addition to many other duties. One of the exciting aspects of a police officer's job is that no two days are alike. Law enforcement professionals are often working out in the community rather than sitting behind a desk all day, which is very appealing to many people.
In the past, police detectives often worked as police officers for a number of years and received a promotion or took addition training coursework in order to advance. These professionals work at crime scenes by collecting evidence at the actual scene of the crime and sending it to the lab for testing, if necessary. They question witnesses and may bring others in for questioning, depending on the situation or crime that they are trying to solve. Police stations or agencies are divided into districts; therefore, police officers may work in just one county and patrol only that district. In larger districts, police officers typically team up in pairs, so that they have someone to back them up in case of any dangers that arise. Besides police officers and investigators, other law enforcement areas include special weapons and tactics or SWAT, and emergency response specialized teams.
*Law enforcement agencies may require additional training.
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Featured Accredited Schools Offering Online Law Enforcement Degrees
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Learn more about Kaplan University - Criminal Justice Programs
Career Specializations
- Microscopic and Chemical Analysis: This specialization gives law enforcement the needed skills to investigate crime scenes and various chemicals that may have been used at the scene.
- Fingerprint and Handwriting Analysis: This concentration allows law enforcement to develop skills to help them analyze handwriting and fingerprints, which can play a crucial role in solving crimes.
- Special Weapons and Tactics or SWAT: These professionals prepare for very high-risk operations requiring many hours of training and supervised on-the-job training.
Degree Levels
- Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
- Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
- Master's Degree: 2 years to complete
Education & Certification Requirements
The educational requirements for law enforcement vary depending on the area in which the student is concentrating and the state in which they reside. Each state and jurisdiction has different requirements when it comes to educational requirements. Some agencies prefer students with an associate degree while other prefer a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. For those who want to be in higher positions of management, the master's degree may be needed. Individuals who wish to become police officers must apply and be accepted into a police academy, which often lasts up to 14 weeks or longer. This training combines theory with hands-on training. Once the recruits have finished the academy training, they may spend time as rookies and work under the supervision of a police officer or several officers. In order to become a police officer, the candidate must pass a thorough physical exam that includes strength training, vision, agility, and hearing. In addition, candidates must pass a written test, which differs by state but typically consists of more than one examination. (BLS)Salary Information
Salaries in law enforcement vary quite a bit depending on the area in which the student is wishing to pursue and study. Police officers averaged approximately $51K annually in 2008, with half of all officers earning $38,850 to $64,940 annually. Detectives earned a median salary of $60,910 annually in 2008, but the earnings obviously vary based on demographics, experience, and education. Therefore, those who are recent graduates of the police academy can expect to start at the lowest wages for their particular part of the country and jurisdiction. Supervising detectives averaged $59,320 to $92,700 and they typically held bachelor's degrees or master's degrees with several years of experience. (BLS)Job Outlook
Jobs for police officers and detectives should be good through the year 2018, with approximately 10 percent increase in job growth. Private detective and investigation careers are expected to grow faster than the average, and the prospects will be excellent through the year 2018, with a 22 percent increase in jobs. The reason for the job growth is due to the security measures that the United States has instituted over the past several years. (BLS)Related Careers
Forensic science and CSI professionals are specifically trained for one or more areas to solve crimes. For instance, they may collect various pieces of evidence at the actual scene of the crime, prepare reports and they may have to give expert testimony during a court case. (BLS)Cybercrime and computer forensics careers are quite technical and often involve examining computer hard drives found at crime scenes. They are able to pull valuable information from the computers and other electronic pieces to use as evidence to help investigators build a case. This is a relatively new field. (BLS)
Corrections professionals work in prisons and jails to keep order among inmates. They may be faced with belligerent inmates and must know how to control them without being injured. Correctional officers also work in teams or even groups when they are dealing with very violent offenders. This is a highly stressful position and the turnover rate is quite high. (BLS)
