Overview
Become One of America's Finest
If you've dreamed about an exciting career in law enforcement, your dreams are in sight.
Over 860,000 men and women are currently employed as the police officers, detectives, sheriffs and state troopers who enforce our nation's laws.
With our help, you can find the information and training you need to become one of them.
To compare programs in your area, fill out the form to the right.
Or, for more information such as training, salary info, job outlook and other important occupational highlights, visit the links below.
To get started on finding a criminal justice program in your area, fill out our simple form to the right. From there you can browse through a list of programs near you, and request to be contacted by only the schools that interest you. And as always, there is no obligation.
Law Enforcement Job Description
Law enforcement can take many different forms. Here is a general overview of the various paths in law enforcement you may consider pursuing. As you will see, each type of officer has a slightly different work environment and area of specialty.
Uniformed Officer
This versatile role covers a wide range of duties within a variety of jurisdictions. Often the first members of law enforcement to engage the public, uniformed officers may initiate investigations via their regular patrols, or by responding to calls. In addition, these officers serve the public by monitoring and controlling traffic, administering first aid, and helping civilians with neighborhood law enforcement. They may also be involved in specialized fields such as firearms instruction or fingerprint and handwriting analysis, or may be part of a horseback, motorcycle, bicycle or harbor patrol unit. Of course, all police work involves keeping meticulous records, so in any field of police work, an eye for detail is critical.
Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs
These elected officers work within a county jurisdiction, and are particularly important as they may be the only arbiters of law in rural or unincorporated areas. A sheriff's duties roughly parallel those of a city officer, including patrol, investigation, and the arrest and transport of detainees. Though in some jurisdictions these duties may be carried out primarily by state or city police, the sheriff still retains policing powers. Sheriffs' duties also extend to county courts, where they may serve as bailiff or carry out such tasks as ensuring the protection of the jury outside the courtroom, extraditing prisoners, and enforcing court orders such as warrants and money decrees.
State Police
Also known as State Troopers or Highway Patrol, these officers are the statewide highway and traffic authority. Operating in every US state except Hawaii, the State Police issue traffic citations, detain law-breaking motorists, and assist the scene of accidents, performing first aid or directing the flow of traffic. Aside from this, State Police may be called on to assist other organizations, especially in rural areas where local officers may be few.
Detectives
These plainclothes officers are responsible for in-depth investigation and fact-finding on individual cases. This is one of the most involved areas of law enforcement, with detectives typically specializing in one particular field, such as homicide or fraud. Detectives can be expected to work on a single case until an arrest is made, a conviction is reached, or the case is dropped. Their duties may range from researching records and interviewing witnesses to monitoring suspects and participating in raids and arrests.
Fish and Game Wardens
The wilderness is the jurisdiction of these officers, whose responsibility it is to enforce hunting, fishing and boating laws. Fish and Game wardens carry out tasks such as search and rescue operations, regulating and monitoring boat traffic, responding to complaints and accidents, and assisting in court proceedings for these areas.
Federal Officers
The federal government employs many types of police agency, the principal one being the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). These officers investigate matters of federal law, including organized crime, bank robbery, kidnapping, terrorism, drug trafficking and cyber crimes, and may carry out sensitive operations such as wire-taps, surveillance and undercover assignments. Other federal law organizations include the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Marshals, which protect the American judicial system, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Another federal organization, the Department of Homeland Security, employs officers in border security and immigration affairs, as well as in the U.S. Secret Service
For more information on the many career options in law enforcement, and to find out what specific programs are offered in your area, fill out the form to the right and click Submit. Any career in law enforcement begins with a sound education in a program like criminal justice, and with this tool you will find a detailed list of programs being offered in your area. From there you may request more information in order to get started on your career in law enforcement.
Law Enforcement Training
Like any other career, police work involves learning specialized skills - in this case, ranging from human relations and diplomacy to physical strength and agility. Apprehending a possibly armed suspect requires a specific kind of expertise, just as interviewing a distraught victim does. Consequently, you don't become one of America's finest without your due course of training. Every law enforcement member, from uniformed officers to government agents, undergoes a rigorous and challenging training regimen to make sure they're up to snuff with their department's standards.
Uniformed Officer Training
Uniformed officers, detectives and other state and local police earn the privilege of wearing a badge by powering their way through a 12-14 week police academy. Training varies depending on jurisdiction, but every academy involves strength and agility training, where troops are required to bench press a certain percentage of their body weight and undergo strength and stamina conditioning. Firearms training is also part of the regimen, with officers logging hours with handguns, shotguns and other weapons to achieve high accuracy standards. Officers also learn how to use a vehicle as a pursuit tool, using controlled skidding tactics, two-way radio work and crash avoidance techniques.
Federal Agent Training
Government agents have an even more rigorous training schedule. The FBI, for example, utilizes a 17-week training program at the FBI Academy based at the Marine Corps training facility in Quantico, VA. New agents pass a training program consisting of classroom learning, physical training and integrated scenarios, including the solving of a simulated case that results in several arrests. A portion of FBI training takes place at the mock city training grounds known as Hogan's Alley, where scenarios are carried out in a lifelike city setting. The firearms training is more involved as well, with agents becoming familiar with bureau submachine guns as well as handguns and shotguns.
These training programs are designed to give new law enforcement officers a feel for the dynamic and challenging situations they will face in their line of work, as well as to provide them with the physical and social skills they will need to be successful. It takes a disciplined mind and an able body to stand up to the demands of law enforcement training, which is why U.S. law enforcement agents are considered the finest.
Of course, the best training begins with a solid education. Uniformed officers are required to have at least a high school diploma, and federal agents must have a college degree and two to three years of full-time work experience. A degree can be acquired at a campus university, many of which may be available in your area. To find out more about what it takes to start on your path in law enforcement, fill out the form to the right and request information from schools offering Criminal Justice programs near you. To become one of America's finest, the best time to get started is now.
Other Specialties in Criminal Justice
Many Criminal Justice careers, such as these, are centered around in-depth investigation and study, requiring intellectual rather than physical dexterity.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
The dark and shadowy CIA is renowned by TV and movie fans as the country's base for spy activity and covert operations. The reality of the CIA is not far from this, though it is a little more complicated. CIA agents pursue a mission to gather foreign intelligence in order to provide the president with the insight necessary to make decisions regarding national security and foreign relations. Much of what the CIA investigates has to do with the threat of nuclear and chemical weapons, and the drug trade. A degree is not necessary to hold clerical positions in this organization, though intelligence analysts and overseas agents often have an advanced degree.
Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)
As its corresponding TV show suggests, Crime Scene Investigators do the complex evidence gathering and analysis at crime scenes ranging from home invasions and burglaries to sexual assaults and homicides. Working with law enforcement to complete investigations, Crime Scene Investigators are responsible for finding, packaging and sending physical evidence to the lab for analysis, completing reports concerning their findings, and if necessary, testifying in court. An expertise in anatomy, physics, or another science is helpful in this field, along with knowledge of laws and general police practices.
Private Investigator
These professionals may be called upon by a variety of clients for a variety of reasons. Private Investigators are often hired to gather information about a specific person, ranging from a simple background check to undercover surveillance or monitoring. PI's use access to public records along with their own evidence gathered through photographs, video, visual surveillance and other means to track or investigate a person in cases involving infidelity, child support, fraud, or other civil violations. Investigators are also hired by lawyers to uncover the details of a case, to help interview witnesses, and occasionally to help present the case in court.
Paralegal
Lawyers rely on these legal assistants to manage information for them, including preparing and drafting documents, interviewing clients, organizing notebooks for trial, assisting with research, and writing legal briefs. Working closely with their lawyers, paralegals rely on intellect, listening skills and reasoning abilities to accurately and efficiently carry out the work required of them, as well as interpersonal skills to effectively interview clients.
Criminologist
The study of crime and criminals is the domain of these professionals, as they study and analyze criminal behavior and laws, ultimately endeavoring to explain the criminal mindset. Their field is general and broad, though it provides keen insight into the motivations behind criminals, the circumstances that produce crime, and the effect of laws on crime. Many criminologists conduct their own research as they teach at a college or university, and others are employed by federal and state agencies as policy advisors. Most criminologists have either a master's degree or a PhD.
These and other career paths within the field of criminal justice make up the complex machinery that monitors and prevents criminal activity in our society. Pursuing your degree in Criminal Justice will give you a firm foothold in these careers, ensuring your future as a valuable part of America's solution to crime. To learn more about how you can become a part of this system, simply fill out our form to the right, click Submit, and connect with criminal justice programs in your area. The best time to get started is now.
Law Enforcement Career Outlook
As society gets more security-conscious, and as social issues like drug use and cyber crime remain in the spotlight, the career outlook for those involved in law enforcement grows brighter. Labor Bureau statistics show a growth rate of about 11% in this field during the decade from 2006 to 2016, with increased demand for more highly qualified individuals, particularly in large cities.
Police work is a popular option as a second career as well, as it is possible to retire with a pension after only 20 or 25 years. Plus, with early retirement options, departments may decrease in size without layoffs. In the event of layoffs, though, trained police officers typically have little trouble finding new work.
Earnings Information
According to Labor Bureau statistics for 2006, the middle 50 percent of police and sheriff's patrol officers earned between $35,600 and $59,880 annually, with the median falling at $47,460. The highest 10 percent earned $72,450. The majority of police and detective supervisors earned between $53,900 and $83,940, with the top 10 percent earning more than $104,410.
Average Salaries for Full-Time Sworn Positions, 2006 |
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| Title | Minimum Base |
Maximum Base |
| Police Chief | $78,547 |
$99,698 |
| Deputy Chief | 68,797 |
87,564 |
| Police Captain | 65,408 |
81,466 |
| Police Lieutenant | 59,940 |
72,454 |
| Police Sergeant | 53,734 |
63,564 |
| Police Corporal | 44,160 |
55,183 |
For information on how you can get started in a career in law enforcement, fill out our simple form on the right to be matched with criminal justice programs in your area. It's never too late to get started on your career path, and there's no better time than now to be a part of this high-demand occupation.
