Duties

• Law enforcement officers' duties vary depending on the agency that they work for and their rank. State and local police officers perform regular patrols and provide emergency response services. They may investigate crimes, collect evidence, provide first aid to accident victims or direct traffic when accidents occur. They may also enforce traffic laws and arrest individuals who they observe breaking the law. Many law enforcement officers are assigned to a specific duty, such as homicide or vice, and only investigate crimes in those areas. Others specialize in a technical field, such as fingerprint identification or handwriting analysis. Detectives are plainclothes law enforcement officers who usually lead investigations and interview suspects. Federal law enforcement officers may work as agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They investigate many different types of cases, such as kidnapping, terrorism, organized crime and bank robbery. Other federal law enforcement officers work for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
  
  

Education and Training

• Generally, those wishing to become law enforcement officers must have a minimum of a high school diploma. Some agencies or departments require a college degree, and some pay tuition costs for officers who are working toward degrees in criminal justice or a related field. Once they are hired by an agency, officers usually must attend 12 to 14 weeks of training at a police academy. Recruits take classes in state and local laws; constitutional law and civil rights; accident investigation; firearm use; self defense; first aid; traffic control; and emergency response. Law enforcement officers who work for federal agencies must have a bachelor's degree, relevant professional experience or some combination of the two. They must also complete rigorous training, usually held at federal training centers. FBI agents must have a college degree and at least three years of work experience, or an advanced graduate degree and two years of work experience.
  
  

Working Conditions

• Law enforcement officers face dangerous situations on a regular basis. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they have one of the highest rates of job-related injury among all occupations. In addition to physical issues, law enforcement officers often deal with emotional trauma because they routinely witness crime-related violence and death. They usually work 40-hour weeks, but are often required to put in paid overtime. To provide 24-hour coverage, officers work in shifts, and junior officers are often required to work overnights, weekends and holidays. Federal law enforcement officers often travel extensively, and may be asked to relocate.
  
  

Salary

• Law enforcement officers' salaries differ greatly based on their rank and the agency at which they are employed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, police and sheriff's officers were paid median annual wages of $51,410 as of May 2008. The median annual wages for police and detective supervisors were $75,490, while detectives and criminal investigators were paid median annual wages of $60,910. Federal law enforcement agencies pay officers salaries at special rates determined by federal law. In addition, federal special agents and inspectors are paid law enforcement availability pay, which is equal to 25 percent of the agent's grade and step, because they often work significant overtime hours.
  
  

Employment Outlook

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment for law enforcement officers will increase by 10 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is about as fast a rate as the average for all occupations. Employment opportunities will largely be the result of population growth and a demand for greater police presence. Other openings will result from the need to replace officers who retire or leave the field. Competition will be fierce for positions at federal and state agencies, so candidates with a bachelor's degree and law enforcement experience will enjoy the best prospects.