Police Officer Salary

Typically a police officer salary averages about USD 45, 000 (Police and sheriff’s patrol officers, federal officers and local government officers average USD 45, 000 per annum, State government officers USD 49, 000 per annum, detectives and criminal investigators at USD 54, 000 per annum). In addition to the police officer salary package, they earn significantly in overtime pay, benefits such as paid vacation, leave insurance and uniform allowance. Liberal pension plans give many officers an option to retire at half-pay after 25 or 30 years of service. Compared with other jobs, it's not the money as much the glamour that surrounds the police officer’s job.

As a police officer you would be in charge of enforcing regulations and the law of the land, protecting life and property, either alone or with a partner. Since this could cover pretty much everything, the police officer’s work is stressful and dangerous, involving physical and mental activity and often requiring quick, independent action. Conducting investigations, making arrests, patrolling, testifying in court, taking proactive action to prevent disturbances and acting on scenes of disturbance, reporting and completing paperwork are part of the police officer’s duties.

Considering the nature of work the requirements to be a police officer are stringent. Aspirants must be U.S. citizens, around 20 years of age fitting in with certain physical attributes and personal qualities. You would require a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and 12 to 18 months of law enforcement experience. The selection process consists written exam, interview, psychiatric evaluation and background checks. Once selected you would undergo training and instruction in law, civil rights, State laws, accident investigation, patrol, traffic control, use of firearms, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response. So it's not an easy job to get police officer salary checks, hum?

There are many law enforcement agencies that one can aspire for. Uniformed police officers are only one among them. Special police agencies (transport, analysis, firearms, fingerprint identification etc), State police officers (motor vehicle laws), Detectives, Fish and game wardens, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents (organized crime, corruption, fraud, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, terrorism, espionage, drug trafficking etc), Drug Enforcement Administration agents (illegal drugs), U.S. marshals and deputy marshals (judiciary), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents (firearms, explosives, alcohol and tobacco) Bureau of Diplomatic Security special agents (anti terrorism), The Department of Homeland Security (Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Secret Service), U.S. Border Patrol agents (land and water boundaries), Immigration inspectors, Customs inspectors (laws governing imports and exports)., Customs agents (narcotics smuggling, money laundering, child pornography, and customs fraud) Federal Air Marshals (air security) U.S. Secret Service special agents (protection of President, Vice President etc).

Though they are usually scheduled to work 40-hours a week police officers are on call at any time their services are required. Work is stressful but it provides tremendous opportunity to engage whole-heartedly in public service.