Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Human Advantage 81%
Strongly human-essential role
AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.5 / 10
This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.
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.
Also Known As: Accident Prevention Squad Police Officer, Alcohol Law Enforcement Agent (ALE Agent), Animal Cop, Border Guard, Border Patrol Agent, Border Patrol Officer, Campus Police Officer, Canine Deputy (K-9 Deputy) +84 more
Core Tasks
- Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
- Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.
- Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
- Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
- Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
- Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
- Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
- Testify in court to present evidence or act as witness in traffic and criminal cases.
- Relay complaint and emergency-request information to appropriate agency dispatchers.
- Monitor traffic to ensure motorists observe traffic regulations and exhibit safe driving procedures.
- Drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to detect law violators, issue citations, and make arrests.
- Execute arrest warrants, locating and taking persons into custody.
- Patrol and guard courthouses, grand jury rooms, or assigned areas to provide security, enforce laws, maintain order, and arrest violators.
- Photograph or draw diagrams of crime or accident scenes and interview principals and eyewitnesses.
- Evaluate complaint and emergency-request information to determine response requirements.
- Patrol specific area on foot, horseback, or motorized conveyance, responding promptly to calls for assistance.
- Investigate traffic accidents and other accidents to determine causes and to determine if a crime has been committed.
- Verify that the proper legal charges have been made against law offenders.
- Transport or escort prisoners and defendants en route to courtrooms, prisons or jails, attorneys' offices, or medical facilities.
- Direct traffic flow and reroute traffic in case of emergencies.
- Question individuals entering secured areas to determine their business, directing and rerouting individuals as necessary.
- Notify patrol units to take violators into custody or to provide needed assistance or medical aid.
- Place people in protective custody.
- Serve statements of claims, subpoenas, summonses, jury summonses, orders to pay alimony, and other court orders.
- Inform citizens of community services and recommend options to facilitate longer-term problem resolution.
- Locate and confiscate real or personal property, as directed by court order.
- Provide road information to assist motorists.
- Conduct community programs for all ages concerning topics such as drugs and violence.
Supplemental Tasks (2)
- Process prisoners, and prepare and maintain records of prisoner bookings and prisoner status during booking and pre-trial process.
- Supervise law enforcement staff, such as jail staff, officers, and deputy sheriffs.
Education & Training
Job Zone 3 Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Hot Technologies
Software (28)
Tools & Equipment (70)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Public Safety Financial Services
Zone 3
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers You are here
Emergency Response Public Service & Safety
Zone 2
Telephone Operators 78% match
Zone 3
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers You are here
Zone 4
Emergency Management Directors 79% match
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