police officer summary of job

What does a police officer do?

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What is a Police Officer?

A police officer is responsible for maintaining public safety, enforcing laws, and protecting the community. Police officers play a crucial role in preventing and responding to criminal activities, ensuring the well-being of individuals and property within their jurisdiction. They work diligently to uphold the law, maintain order, and provide a sense of security to the community they serve.

Police officers perform a wide range of duties, including patrolling assigned areas, responding to emergency calls, conducting investigations, making arrests, and issuing citations or warnings for violations of the law. They work closely with other law enforcement agencies, emergency services, and community organizations to collaborate on crime prevention initiatives and maintain a safe environment. Police officers also engage in community outreach efforts, fostering positive relationships with community members, and promoting trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the public they serve. Through their dedication, bravery, and commitment to public service, police officers contribute to the overall well-being and security of society.

What does a Police Officer do?

Police officers are essential for maintaining safety and order within communities. Their role involves a combination of proactive crime prevention, emergency response, and community engagement. Their presence helps deter crime and provides a sense of security. Police officers also play a crucial role in promoting community trust and building positive relationships with residents, fostering cooperation and collaboration in addressing local issues.

Duties and Responsibilities Here are some detailed duties and responsibilities of police officers:

• Patrolling and Crime Prevention: Police officers patrol designated areas, either on foot, in vehicles, or on bicycles, to deter criminal activity and ensure public safety. They monitor and investigate suspicious activities, enforce traffic laws, and identify potential risks or hazards in the community. Officers may conduct routine patrols, respond to calls for service, or engage in proactive strategies such as community-oriented policing to build relationships and address community concerns.
• Emergency Response: Police officers are often the first responders to emergency situations. They promptly respond to calls for assistance, accidents, disturbances, or criminal incidents. Officers assess the situation, provide immediate aid to victims, secure the scene, and take necessary actions to protect lives and property. This may involve apprehending suspects, conducting searches, administering first aid, or requesting additional support from specialized units.
• Law Enforcement and Investigation: Police officers have the authority to enforce laws and regulations. They investigate crimes, collect evidence, interview witnesses, and prepare detailed reports. Officers may collaborate with detectives or specialized units to solve complex cases. They may also testify in court proceedings and provide evidence to support criminal prosecutions.
• Arrests and Detentions: When necessary, police officers make arrests based on probable cause. They ensure that individuals are taken into custody in a lawful manner and inform them of their rights. Officers may conduct searches, seize evidence, and transport arrested individuals to detention facilities. They are responsible for maintaining the safety and security of arrested persons during the booking process and while in custody.
• Traffic Control and Accident Investigation: Police officers enforce traffic laws, direct traffic flow, and investigate traffic accidents. They assist motorists, issue citations for traffic violations, and take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. Officers may also conduct accident reconstructions and prepare detailed reports to determine the causes and contributing factors of accidents.
• Community Engagement and Education: Police officers actively engage with the community to establish positive relationships, promote trust, and address community concerns. They participate in community meetings, organize educational programs, and provide guidance on crime prevention, personal safety, and emergency preparedness. Officers may also collaborate with community organizations, schools, and businesses to implement crime prevention initiatives and build strong partnerships.
• Specialized Units: Within a police department, officers may have the opportunity to join specialized units such as K-9 units, SWAT teams, narcotics units, or cybercrime divisions. These units require additional training and expertise to address specific types of crime or emergency situations.

Types of Police Officers There are various types of police officers who specialize in different areas of law enforcement based on their training, expertise, and assigned responsibilities. Here are some common types of police officers and a brief overview of what they do:

• Detectives : Detectives, also known as investigators, are responsible for conducting in-depth investigations of crimes. They gather evidence, interview witnesses and suspects, analyze information, and build cases against criminals. Detectives work closely with other law enforcement agencies, forensic specialists, and prosecutors to solve complex cases and bring criminals to justice.
• Transit Police Officers : A transit police officer is responsible for maintaining safety and security on public transportation systems such as buses, trains, and subways. Their primary duty is to protect the passengers, employees, and property of the transit system they work for.
• Patrol Officers: Patrol officers are the backbone of law enforcement and are responsible for general law enforcement duties. They patrol designated areas, respond to calls for service, enforce traffic laws, investigate crimes, and maintain public order. Patrol officers are often the first to arrive at the scene of incidents, and they handle a wide range of situations, from routine traffic stops to emergency situations.
• Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Officers: SWAT officers are specially trained and equipped to handle high-risk situations, such as hostage situations, armed barricades, and counterterrorism operations. They undergo rigorous tactical training and often work in specialized teams to respond to critical incidents that require specialized skills, weapons, and tactics.
• K-9 Officers: K-9 officers work alongside specially trained police dogs, or K-9s, to assist in various law enforcement activities. These can include tracking suspects, detecting illegal substances, searching for missing persons, and providing support during apprehensions. K-9 officers develop a strong bond with their canine partners and undergo training to effectively utilize the unique capabilities of the K-9s.
• Traffic Officers: Traffic officers focus on enforcing traffic laws, promoting road safety, and investigating traffic accidents. They monitor traffic flow, issue citations for traffic violations, and assist with traffic control during special events or emergencies. Traffic officers may also work closely with accident reconstruction specialists to investigate and analyze the causes of serious traffic accidents.
• School Resource Officers: School resource officers are assigned to educational institutions to ensure the safety and security of students, staff, and the school environment. They develop positive relationships with students, provide mentorship, educate on safety topics, and handle any law enforcement-related matters that may arise within the school premises.
• Community Policing Officers: Community policing officers engage directly with the community to build relationships, address concerns, and implement proactive strategies to prevent crime. They collaborate with community members, local organizations, and businesses to develop programs and initiatives tailored to specific neighborhood needs. Community policing officers focus on fostering trust, communication, and cooperation between law enforcement and the community.

Are you suited to be a police officer?

Police officers have distinct personalities . They tend to be enterprising individuals, which means they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic. They are dominant, persuasive, and motivational. Some of them are also realistic, meaning they’re independent, stable, persistent, genuine, practical, and thrifty.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if police officer is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Police Officer like?

The workplace of a police officer is diverse and encompasses various environments, both indoors and outdoors. One of the primary locations where police officers operate is their respective police stations or precincts. These stations serve as the central base for officers, where they start and end their shifts, receive instructions and assignments, and engage in administrative tasks. Inside the police stations, officers can find facilities such as offices, briefing rooms, evidence storage areas, and equipment rooms, all contributing to the efficient functioning of law enforcement operations.

However, a significant portion of a police officer's work takes place outside the confines of the police station. Patrol areas form a crucial part of their workplace, where officers actively patrol designated neighborhoods and areas to maintain public safety and respond to incidents. This can involve patrolling in patrol cars, on foot, or even on bicycles, depending on the specific requirements of the jurisdiction. Whether it's busy city streets, residential neighborhoods, or commercial districts, police officers are responsible for monitoring and ensuring the security of these areas.

Crime scenes and incident locations also become temporary workplaces for police officers. When responding to emergencies, accidents, or criminal incidents, officers must secure the scene, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and conduct investigations. These scenes can vary greatly, ranging from private residences and public spaces to commercial properties and remote outdoor locations. Police officers must adapt to the unique circumstances of each incident and carry out their duties effectively to maintain law and order.

Community engagement plays an essential role in a police officer's workplace. Officers actively interact with community members, participate in community meetings, engage in educational programs, and build positive relationships with local organizations and residents. This interaction can occur in various settings, such as schools, community centers, local events, and neighborhood gatherings. By connecting with the community, officers foster trust, gather information, address concerns, and collaborate with residents to prevent crime and maintain a safe environment.

In addition to these primary workplaces, police officers may also spend time in courtrooms, providing testimony as witnesses in criminal cases. They present evidence, answer questions from attorneys and judges, and contribute to the judicial process. Specialized units and facilities, such as SWAT team headquarters, K-9 units, traffic control centers, crime labs, and training academies, can also serve as workplaces for officers with specific roles and responsibilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pros and cons of being a police officer.

Being a police officer is a career that comes with its own unique set of rewards and challenges. It requires dedication, courage, and a commitment to upholding the law and serving the community. While the profession can be fulfilling and impactful, it also presents certain drawbacks and risks. Let's explore the pros and cons of being a police officer.

Pros On the positive side, one of the significant advantages of being a police officer is the opportunity to make a positive difference in people's lives. Police officers have the power to protect and serve their communities, ensuring public safety and maintaining law and order. They have the ability to help individuals in distress, solve crimes, and bring justice to victims. This sense of fulfillment and the ability to contribute to the greater good can be deeply rewarding.

Another advantage of being a police officer is the variety and unpredictability of the job. Each day brings new challenges and opportunities to learn and grow. Police officers are exposed to a wide range of situations, from routine patrols to high-pressure emergencies. This diversity can keep the work exciting and engaging, preventing monotony and offering the chance to develop a broad range of skills.

Cons However, being a police officer also has its share of challenges and drawbacks. The nature of the job often exposes officers to stressful and dangerous situations. They may face physical threats, encounter individuals who are resistant or violent, and have to make split-second decisions that can have serious consequences. The stress and pressure of the job can lead to emotional and mental strain, impacting the well-being and personal lives of officers.

Additionally, police work can involve working long and irregular hours, including night shifts, weekends, and holidays. The demanding schedule can make it challenging to maintain a work-life balance and can strain relationships with family and friends. The constant exposure to traumatic events and the pressure of the job can also take a toll on an officer's mental health, leading to higher rates of stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Furthermore, police officers are often subject to public scrutiny and criticism. Instances of police misconduct or controversial use of force can lead to public distrust and negative perceptions of law enforcement. This can create additional stress and make the job more challenging.

Police Officers are also known as: Policeman Policewoman Law Enforcement Officer

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Police Officer Job Description

Also known as law enforcement officers, police officers protect the public and their property, enforce laws, and investigate all manner of crimes.

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Police Officer Job Description Template

We are looking for a dedicated police officer to perform a variety of law enforcement duties and maintain public safety. The police officer's responsibilities will include patrolling assigned areas, responding to calls, investigating diverse incidents, arresting suspects, and preparing incident reports.

To be successful as a police officer you should be in good physical condition to pursue suspects and able to remain level-headed in stressful and dangerous situations. An outstanding Police Officer should be intuitive and able to exercise sound judgment.

Police Officer Responsibilities:

• Enforcing local, state, and federal laws.
• Patrolling assigned geographic zones and responding to calls.
• Apprehending and transporting suspects.
• Interviewing victims, witnesses, and suspects.
• Gathering and logging evidence.
• Writing citations, delivering warrants, and testifying in court.
• Preparing and providing accurate reports documenting incidents and activities.
• Responding to emergency and nonemergency situations.
• Preventing and investigating illegal activities, domestic disturbances, accidents, etc.

Police Officer Requirements:

• High school diploma/GED.
• Police training academy graduate.
• Degree education preferred.
• Working knowledge of local, state, and federal laws.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to remain calm and exercise good judgment.
• Good physical condition.
• Team player.

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Crime scene investigator job description, criminal investigator job description, code enforcement officer job description, crime scene investigator interview questions, criminal investigator interview questions, code enforcement officer interview questions, police officer interview questions.

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Course: Careers   >   Unit 2

• Police officer: What I do and how much I make
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What does a police officer do?

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Compensation and advancement

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Police Officer or Detective

Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators, who are sometimes called  agents  or  special agents , gather facts and collect evidence of crimes.

Police officers, detectives, and criminal investigators typically do the following:

• Respond to emergency and nonemergency calls
• Patrol assigned areas, observing people and activities
• Conduct traffic stops and issue citations
• Search restricted-access databases for vehicle or other records and warrants
• Obtain and serve warrants for arrests, searches, and other purposes
• Arrest people suspected of committing crimes
• Collect and secure evidence from crime scenes
• Observe the activities of suspects
• Write detailed reports and fill out forms
• Prepare cases for legal proceedings and testify in court

Job duties differ by employer and function, but police and detectives are required by law to write detailed reports and keep meticulous records. Most carry law enforcement equipment such as radios, handcuffs, and guns.

The following are examples of types of police and detectives: 

Detectives and criminal investigators  are uniformed or plainclothes officers who gather facts and collect evidence related to criminal cases. They conduct interviews, examine records, monitor suspects, and participate in raids and arrests. Detectives typically investigate serious crimes, such as assaults, robberies, and homicides. In large police departments, detectives usually specialize in investigating one type of crime, such as homicide or fraud. They are typically assigned cases on a rotating basis and work on them until an arrest and trial are completed or until the case is dropped.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents , sometimes called  special agents , investigate and pursue criminal cases that violate federal law. FBI agents are responsible for crimes against public agencies, such as Medicare fraud, or that cross state lines. In addition, federal agents may join or take over investigations of certain types of state cases, such as those related to prescription drugs or large sums of money.

Fish and game wardens  enforce fishing, hunting, and boating laws. They patrol fishing and hunting areas, conduct search and rescue operations, investigate complaints and accidents, and educate the public about laws pertaining to the outdoors. Federal fish and game wardens are often referred to as Federal Wildlife Officers.

Police and sheriff’s patrol officers  are the most common type of police and detectives, and they have general law enforcement duties. They wear uniforms that allow the public to easily recognize them as police officers. They have regular patrols and also respond to emergency and nonemergency calls. During patrols, officers observe people and activities to ensure order and safety.

Some police officers work only on a specific type of crime, such as narcotics. Officers, especially those working in large departments, may work in special units, such as mounted (horseback), motorcycle, or special weapons and tactics (SWAT). Typically, officers must work as patrol officers for a certain number of years before they are appointed to a special unit.

Transit and railroad police  patrol train yards and transportation hubs, such as subway stations. They protect property, employees, and passengers from crimes such as thefts and robberies. They remove trespassers from railroad and transit properties and check IDs of people who try to enter secure areas.

Police and detectives held about 808,200 jobs in 2021. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up police and detectives was distributed as follows:

The largest employers of police and detectives were as follows:

Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous. Officers must be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift. Officers regularly work at crime and accident scenes and encounter suffering and the results of violence. Although a career in law enforcement may be stressful, many officers find it rewarding to help members of their communities.

Some federal agencies, such as the  Federal Bureau of Investigation  and  U.S. Secret Service , require extensive travel, often on short notice. These agents may relocate a number of times over the course of their careers. Other agencies, such as  U.S. Border Patrol , may require work outdoors in rugged terrain and in all kinds of weather.

Injuries and Illnesses

Police and sheriff's patrol officers and transit and railroad police have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. They may face physical injuries during conflicts with criminals and other high-risk situations.

Work Schedules

Most police and detectives work full time. Paid overtime is common, and shift work is necessary to protect the public at all times.

FBI special agents must work at least 50 hours a week and are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The education typically required to enter the occupation ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree. Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency’s training academy before completing a period of on-the-job training. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually at least 21 years old, and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications. A felony conviction or drug use may disqualify a candidate.

Police and detective applicants must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, although some federal agencies and police departments may require that applicants have completed college coursework or a college degree. Many community colleges and 4-year colleges and universities offer programs in law enforcement and criminal justice. Knowledge of a foreign language is an asset in many federal agencies and geographical regions.

Fish and game wardens typically need a bachelor’s degree; desirable fields of study include wildlife science, biology, or natural resources. Federal Wildlife Officers and some state-level fish and game wardens typically do not need a bachelor’s degree.

Federal agencies such as the  Federal Bureau of Investigation  may require prospective detectives and investigators to have a bachelor's degree.

Many applicants for entry-level police jobs have completed some college coursework, and a significant number are college graduates. Common fields of degree include security and protective service and social science.

Candidates for law enforcement appointment usually attend a training academy before becoming an officer. Training includes classroom instruction in state and local laws and constitutional law, civil rights, and police ethics. Recruits also receive training and supervised experience in subjects such as patrol, traffic control, firearm use, self-defense, first aid, and emergency response.

Federal law enforcement agents undergo extensive training, usually at the U.S. Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, or at a  Federal Law Enforcement Training Center .

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Because they need experience in law enforcement, detectives typically begin their careers as police officers.

FBI special agent applicants  must have at least 2 years of full-time work experience, or 1 year of experience plus an advanced degree (master’s or higher).

Other Experience

Some police departments have cadet programs for people interested in a career in law enforcement who do not yet meet age requirements for becoming an officer. These cadets do clerical work and attend classes until they reach the minimum age requirement and can apply for a position with the regular force. Military or police experience may be considered beneficial for prospective cadets.

Cadet candidates must be U.S. citizens, usually be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license, and meet specific physical qualifications. Applicants may have to pass physical exams of vision, hearing, strength, and agility, as well as written exams. Candidates typically go through a series of interviews and may be asked to take polygraph (lie detector) and drug tests. A felony conviction may disqualify a candidate.

Advancement

Police officers usually become eligible for promotion after a probationary period. Promotions to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain usually are made according to scores on a written examination and on-the-job performance. In large departments, an officer may be promoted to detective or to specialize in one type of police work, such as working with juveniles.

Along with exam and performance scores, a bachelor’s degree may be required for advancement to positions of lieutenant or higher rank.

Police officers or detectives typically have an interest in the Building and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.

If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a police officer or detective, you can take a career test to measure your interests.

Police officers or detectives should also possess the following specific qualities:

Communication skills. Police and detectives must be able to speak with people when gathering facts about a crime and to express details about a given incident in writing.

Empathy. Police officers need to understand the perspectives of a wide variety of people in their jurisdiction and have a willingness to help the public.

Good judgment. Police and detectives must be able to determine the best way to solve a wide array of problems quickly.

Leadership skills. Police officers must be comfortable with being a highly visible member of their community, as the public looks to them for assistance in emergency situations.

Perceptiveness. Officers must be able to anticipate another person’s reactions and understand why people act a certain way.

Physical stamina. Officers and detectives must be in good physical shape, both to pass required tests for entry into the field, and to keep up with the daily rigors of the job.

Physical strength. Police officers must be strong enough to physically apprehend offenders.

The median annual wage for police and detectives was $66,020 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,420, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $105,540.

Median annual wages for police and detectives in May 2021 were as follows:

In May 2021, the median annual wages for police and detectives in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Other Compensation and Benefits

Many law enforcement agencies provide officers with an allowance for uniforms, as well as extensive benefits and the option to retire at an age that is younger than the typical retirement age. Some police departments offer additional pay for bilingual officers or those with college degrees.

Overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2021 to 2031, slower than the average for all occupations.

Despite limited employment growth, about 68,500 openings for police and detectives are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 

While a desire for public safety may result in a need for more officers, demand for employment is expected to vary depending on location, driven largely by local and state budgets. Even when crime rates fall, demand for police services to maintain public safety is expected to continue.

For more information about federal law enforcement, visit

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Drug Enforcement Administration

Federal Bureau of Investigation

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

U.S. Marshals Service

U.S. Secret Service

For more information about police and detective careers, contact your state or local law enforcement agency.

Where does this information come from?

The career information above is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook . This excellent resource for occupational data is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every two years. Truity periodically updates our site with information from the BLS database.

I would like to cite this page for a report. Who is the author?

There is no published author for this page. Please use citation guidelines for webpages without an author available. 

I think I have found an error or inaccurate information on this page. Who should I contact?

This information is taken directly from the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Truity does not editorialize the information, including changing information that our readers believe is inaccurate, because we consider the BLS to be the authority on occupational information. However, if you would like to correct a typo or other technical error, you can reach us at [email protected] .

I am not sure if this career is right for me. How can I decide?

There are many excellent tools available that will allow you to measure your interests, profile your personality, and match these traits with appropriate careers. On this site, you can take the Career Personality Profiler assessment, the Holland Code assessment, or the Photo Career Quiz .

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Police Officer Salary

• Education, Training, & Certification
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Job Outlook

Work environment, work schedule, comparing similar jobs.

Michael Roberts serves as an associate commissioner in the Texas Health and Human Services department.

Law enforcement personnel are needed at all levels of government . Federal agencies enforce federal law; state agencies enforce state and federal laws; and local agencies enforce federal, state, and local laws. While police officers may go by different names, such as officer, investigator agent, they protect the public by investigating crimes and apprehending criminals.

The federal government’s principal law enforcement agency is the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Other federal law enforcement agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Bureau of Diplomatic Security; Border Patrol; Federal Air Marshals; and Secret Service. Other agencies, such as the United States Postal Service and Forest Service, employ law enforcement personnel, but their primary missions are not law enforcement.

State police agencies operate within the boundaries of their states. Similar to the federal government, state agencies perform non-law enforcement duties but may also employ sworn officers. State universities have police departments that have jurisdiction over the campus and assist city police departments in cases and incidents around the campus.

Local police officers are employed by cities, counties, school districts, and community colleges. An average citizen typically comes into contact with police officers during routine traffic stops, so local police officers are what most people think of when they hear the term police officer.

A career as a police officer is extremely dangerous, but it can be very rewarding. Officers make their jurisdictions safer every day. By simply making their presence known, police officers can prevent many crimes. When crimes do occur, police officers are the first responders who assess the situation, mitigate any remaining danger, secure evidence, and assist victims and witnesses.

Police Officer Duties & Responsibilities

A police officer’s duties vary by the type of law enforcement agency. Other than FBI agents, federal police officers stick to their niche. For example, federal air marshals stick to preventing crimes aboard commercial flights.

State police officers assist federal and local law enforcement in executing their duties. There are also specialized law enforcement groups such as the Texas Rangers that investigate particular types of crime.

Local police officers have a wide variety of duties including the following:

• Patrolling areas by car, motorcycle, horse, or on foot
• Directing traffic for special events, traffic signal malfunctions, and traffic accidents
• Issuing traffic citations
• Apprehending criminals
• Controlling crowds
• Transporting prisoners
• Serving arrest warrants and subpoenas
• Testifying in courts of law
• Assisting detectives , crime scene investigators , and evidence technicians in processing crime scenes
• Writing reports

Do not underestimate the proportion of time writing reports will take. Officers at all levels must report their activities to their superiors, fellow officers, and the public. In many cases, these reports become key pieces of evidence for prosecutors.

A common misconception about police officers is that they frequently use their guns. On television, this may be the case, but in real life officer rarely draw their sidearms, and most officers fire their weapons only a few times over their careers. To the greatest extent possible, police officers use words to diffuse tense situations.

This fact is underscored by how police departments account for their supplies. Police departments keep an inventory of bullets not by the box but by the bullet. When officers write reports about incidents where they discharge their weapons, they must account for each shot. Crime scene investigators and evidence technicians can tell where the bullets went, what they hit and the damage they caused, but only the officer who fired them knows the reason.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, police officers earned the following salary:

• Median Annual Salary : $63,380 ($30.47/hour)
• Top 10% Annual Salary : $106,090 ($51.00/hour)
• Bottom 10% Annual Salary : $36,550 ($17.57/hour)  

Education, Training, & Certification

There is no standard education requirement across law enforcement agencies, as education and experience requirements vary:

• Academia : Some agencies require only a high school degree, while others require a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree is required to be a federal police officer. Advanced degrees are not necessary for entry-level police officer positions.
• On-the-Job Training : Prior experience is not necessary to become a police officer. However, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years of age. In addition, the hiring agency will teach new hires everything they need to know.
• Training program : Once new officers are hired, their employers send them through an extensive training program . Larger police departments conduct these training in-house, but most departments send their new recruits to state or regional training and certification programs . The training programs combine classroom instruction with practical application. These programs typically last several months. The curriculum covers a wide variety of topics including law, civil rights, investigation techniques, traffic control, emergency response, self-defense, first aid, and firearms. New officers should come out of the program with knowledge and skills they can apply immediately on the job. Their departments will likely have them paired with veteran officers until they are ready to perform their duties on their own.

Police Officer Skills & Competencies

In many law enforcement agencies, there are different rules governing how law enforcement personnel are hired. In most states, civil service regulations dictate certain parameters that agencies must work within during the hiring process .

In addition to normal hiring procedures, candidates must go through written and physical tests. The written tests may measure a variety of items including a candidate’s aptitude for police work, as well as the following:

• Critical thinking skills : The ability to determine the best way to solve a range of problems
• Empathy : The ability to understand the perspectives of many people and have a willingness to help the public
• Psychological stability : The ability to withstand emotional, physical, and mentally taxing experiences
• Strength and agility : The ability to keep up with the daily rigors of the job, such as apprehending offenders
• Leadership skills:  The ability to be in a highly visible position in the community, as the public looks to you for assistance
• Communication and negotiation skills : The ability to deal effectively with others who may be frightened or irrational, such as a kidnapper or burglar

Failure on either type of test means elimination from the hiring process. Background checks, drug tests, and lie detector tests are also likely to be part of the hiring process.

Police officers should be in good physical condition. A habit of regular exercise and experience in competitive sports are helpful both in the training process and once on the job. If you plan on eating a lot of donuts, you’ll have to hit the gym harder than your colleagues. Bilingual skills are also a plus because quick and clear communication can make the difference between life and death in emergency situations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , 2018, employment opportunities for police officers is projected to grow 7% until 2026, about as fast as the average for all occupations. Job applicants may face competition due to low levels of job turnover, however, military experience is helpful on an application, as is experience in private security, private investigation, and auditing, which can all increase your chances of finding a job.

Police work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous . Officers must be alert and ready to react throughout their entire shift. They mainly work at crime and accident scenes and encounter suffering and the aftermath of violence. Although the job can be difficult, it can also be rewarding to help people in need.

Travel may be required if you work for a federal agency. While you may spend some time in an office writing reports and performing administrative tasks, you will likely be outdoors in all kinds of weather.,

Police officers usually work full time. A significant benefit to a career in law enforcement is overtime pay. Police officers have frequent opportunities to earn overtime. Some departments offer shift differential pay for officers who routinely work overnight and weekend shifts. If you do not mind working long or odd hours, you can make a lot of extra money doing the same job you do during normal business hours.

How to Get the Job

Contact your local police precinct to inquire about job opportunities. (Note that minimum and sometimes maximum age requirements must be met.) In addition, look at job boards such as Monster and Indeed , or job sites in your state. For example, PoliceApp advertises job listings in New Jersey. These sites may also provide assistance with resume and cover letter writing, as well as interview techniques.

GET RELATED EXPERIENCE OR AN APPRENTICESHIP

Consider other similar open positions to get in the industry, such as investigative work perhaps assisting an investigator or providing security at a night club.

People who are interested in a career as a police officer may want to consider these similar careers, along with their median annual salary:

• Correctional Officer and Bailiff : $44,400
• Emergency Management Director : $74,420
• EMT and Paramedic : $34,320
• Private Detective and Investigator : $50,090
• Forensic Science Technician : $58,230

Source : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , 2018

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9 Real Police Officer Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

Police Officer

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

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Police Officer Resume

• Police Officer Resumes by Experience
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Police Officer Resume FAQs

You’re a defender of the police and a protector of the innocent; you’re a police officer, and keeping people safe is what you do. 

As a police officer, you’re used to discipline and organization, so your resume should also reflect those qualities. But what else does a good resume include?  Making an amazing resume  and writing an effective cover letter may feel more exhausting than chasing a suspect through the night, but it doesn’t have to be mysterious.

For this reason,  we’ve created nine police officer resume samples that will help get you hired in 2024 . These resumes contain everything you need to know about writing a police officer resume, including the essential details you’ll want to include or omit so that you can turn in your current job resignation letter and get hired faster!

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• If you’re in the middle of your career, don’t worry about adding an objective or summary to your police officer resume; they’re completely optional, albeit useful if used well.
• On the flip side, if you do choose to use an objective or summary,  always tailor it to each job for which you apply . Mention the employer and role by name, and include your reasons for wanting that particular position.
• Hiring managers typically spend only six seconds reviewing your resume. Including awards can help you gain recognition and increase your chances of getting an interview.

Experienced Police Officer Resume

• “Supervised and coordinated a team of 12 patrol officers” and “reducing road accidents in school zones by 50%” are potential examples of tangible, eye-catching results.
• We’d recommend listing six to eight highly relevant skills such as “search & seizure” and “teamwork.”

Entry-Level Police Officer Resume

• The key to a good objective is customizing it for each job for which you apply. Include the name of the employer, the role you’re seeking, and the skills you hope to use in your future position to stand out and get noticed by hiring personnel.
• For example, mentioning soft skills like “managed,” “handled,” “analyzed,” or “trained” shows leadership and is a great way to book your spot for an interview!

Retired Police Officer Resume

• For a part-time bailiff position, shape your career objective around your proven ability to follow protocol—a must in courtroom settings.

Auxiliary Police Officer Resume

• Don’t forget to include your criminal justice degree on this resume. It reveals a longstanding dedication to the mission of the police department.

NYPD Police Officer Resume

• For instance, did you achieve the status of sergeant or captain? Include it on your resume, highlighting your most recent and relevant experience first in reverse-chronological order.
• What does this mean? Use strong verbs and active voice to demonstrate your leadership. For example, instead of saying, “Aided other officers in patrols by taking calls,” say “Monitored radio calls during night shift to assist officers during patrols.”

Federal Police Officer Resume

• Start by putting your work experience in reverse-chronological order, then lay out the rest of your information according to importance.
• For example, keep your contact header at the very top of your resume, and put your skills section after your education.
• You’d be surprised to discover the fine details interviewers notice when searching for the perfect candidate, so always  check your resume  for errors before you hit submit!

Public Safety Officer Resume

• For instance, have you moved from completing some tasks to supervising various teams completing many tasks? Ensure your resume shows a progression in your ability to handle more responsibilities.
• The goal with your skills should be to show employers you’ve got more than just head knowledge. A great example would be “administered first aid to 32 injured students” because it shows how you applied your abilities at first aid.

Campus Police Officer Resume

• Make the job description your roadmap for skills and experience to include. Are they looking for someone to train new recruits? Mention how you mentored cadets in the past. Do they want someone who can maintain their own police vehicle? Include any maintenance experience you have. Customizing your resume is the number one way to get noticed!
• Your employer likely expects you to have experience dealing with adolescents or college students, so, try to mention your communication skills. This kind of resume alteration will help employers realize you’re the one.

Related resume guides

• Security Officer
• Investigator
• Security Guard
• Firefighter

What employers don’t want to see is a list of job duties. They already know what a police officer does; instead, use your job description bullet points to speak to accomplishments in your law enforcement career. What situations did you encounter, how did you respond to those situations, and what was the result or impact? Whenever possible, quantify those statements.

Be detailed and specific in your resume, but save the story-telling aspect for your police officer cover letter .

This depends on the job description. If you’re applying to work as a public safety officer, you might consider skills like firearm safety and security equipment maintenance. If you’re planning to serve at a college campus, crowd control is an excellent skill to have. And working for a traditional police department, search and seizure will be important. The point is to understand what the job requires and to tailor your police resume accordingly.

Since law enforcement leaves room for an upward trajectory, it makes the most sense to format your resume in reverse-chronological order. What’s “above the fold” of your resume is what hiring teams will focus their attention on most, which means if you’re currently a sergeant, you shouldn’t start by listing your first job right out of the police academy.

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Police Officer Resume Examples & Writing Guide for 2024

The ultimate guide to writing an effective police officer resume

As a police officer, it is your duty to maintain law and order to keep local citizens safe. When applying for a position in this field, it is essential to create a resume that showcases your wide range of abilities, experience, and accomplishments. By doing so, you can impress employers and land your desired position in the police department of your choosing.

In this guide, we will cover 5 key elements of your resume to focus on and how to optimize them accordingly. Keep reading to learn about:

• Choosing the right resume format as a police officer
• Writing a police officer resume summary that showcases your strengths
• Including both technical and interpersonal police officer skills
• Highlighting key responsibilities and accomplishments in your work experience section
• Describing police officer educational credentials correctly and succinctly

Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.

1. Choose the right resume format as a police officer

The first step to writing a resume as a police officer is to choose the proper format according to your experience level. Every resume format differs in style and purpose, making certain formats better for different applicants.

Here is a breakdown of the 3 main types of resume formats to choose from:

• Reverse-Chronological: The reverse-chronological resume focuses on work experience, listing the applicant’s most recent job first and working backward from there. In this resume, the work experience section will serve as the focal point and make up the largest section on the document.
• Functional: The functional resume removes the focus from work experience and places it instead on education, skills, and unpaid experience. This format is commonly used by recent graduates who have many years of academic experience but little experience in the formal workforce.
• Hybrid: The hybrid resume combines elements from both of the above formats. It spreads out the focus of the resume more evenly between all sections, allowing for a more diversified resume. This format is commonly used by applicants changing careers or working around large gaps in their work histories.

Generally speaking, the reverse-chronological resume is the standard expected by most employers. However, the other formats can be just as effective when well-written and can be massively helpful to applicants who lack relevant work experience.

Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.

2. Write a police officer resume summary that showcases your strengths

A resume summary is a brief statement at the beginning of a resume that introduces an applicant to the employer. This summary should contain key information, such as your years of experience and specializations, as well as specific examples of notable achievements.

Here is an example of a weak police officer summary, followed by a corrected example and explanation:

Incorrect police officer resume summary example

Police officer with many years of experience working as a patrol lieutenant. Adept at leading large teams, including higher-ranking officers. Highly skilled in leadership, delegation, and community building amongst both citizens and police department officials. Responsible for the creation of a county-wide kickball team for emergency responders.

Why is this Incorrect?

In this example, the focus is a little too all over the place. The applicant needs to focus in on more specific details, such as their responsibilities as a patrol lieutenant or greater context around the sports team for emergency responders.

Corrected police officer resume summary example

Dedicated Police Officer with 5+ years of experience working as a Patrol Lieutenant, supervising a team of 15 police officers and 2 police sergeants. Diverse skillset with a specialization in community and rapport building. Created a county-wide kickball team for emergency responders to help foster greater internal communication and collaboration – currently, the team has 30+ members.

Why is this Correct?

In this corrected example, the details the applicant provides are far more specific. They give greater context around their role as a patrol lieutenant, then go on to describe their specialization in community and rapport building. They finish off with a specific example of how they apply their community-building skills to improve internal collaboration amongst emergency responders.

Find out your resume score!

3. Include the best technical and interpersonal police officer skills

As you write your police officer resume, it is highly important to consider which skills you will include in your skills and work experience section, as well as your resume summary. When choosing these skills, you should strive to include both technical and interpersonal skills to show you have a wide and diverse range of abilities.

With this in mind, here are 10 examples of both technical and interpersonal skills that look great on a police officer resume:

The best technical skills to put on your police officer resume

• Interrogation techniques
• Patrolling procedures
• Emergency response
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal law
• Crime prevention tactics
• Weapons handling
• Drug identification and confiscation
• Filing legal paperwork (incident reports, activity reports, etc.)
• Evidence booking
• De-escalation tactics

Effective interpersonal skills for your police officer CV

• Active listening
• Community awareness
• Conflict resolution
• Rapport building
• Verbal and non-verbal communication
• Teamwork and team building
• Critical thinking

4. Highlight key responsibilities and accomplishments in your work experience section

In most cases, your work experience section will be a focal point of your resume.

As such, the descriptions you include in this section should highlight your key responsibilities and accomplishments within previous positions. You should always aim to include details that showcase your ability to go above and beyond what is asked of you, emphasizing your dedication to professional development as a police officer.

Here is an example of a work experience entry from a police officer resume

Kissimmee Police Department, Kissimmee, FL Police Officer January 2016 to November 2020

• Patrolled a local community, building rapport with citizens and helping to establish a community watch program.
• Responded immediately to reports of emergency situations, including automobile accidents, assaults, and bomb threats.
• Sourced a new digital case management system that, when implemented, reduced operational costs by 10%.

5. Describe police officer educational credentials correctly and succinctly

When writing a police officer resume, the most important piece of educational information to include is the training program you completed and any relevant certifications you hold.

As for educational pre-requisites, most police departments require a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. However, graduating from a police academy or more traditional two-to-four-year college will give you a greater competitive edge as an applicant.

Here is an example of a well-crafted education section on a police officer resume

Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy Criminal Justice Basic Training Certificate Completed: 2018

• Director’s Award for Academic Excellence — 2017 & 2018 Recipient

A documentary photographer and writer. Noel has worked for International publications like Deutsche Welle in Germany to News Deeply in New York. He also co-founded the global multimedia project Women Who Stay and collaborated as a journalist fellow with the University of Southern California . He went from traveling around the world to sitting on a couch thanks to the pandemic, but he gets to help other people actually do things (like find jobs) thanks to Kickresume, so he won't complain.

All military / law enforcement resume examples

• Law Enforcement
• Private Security
• Security Officer

All police officer resume examples

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Resume guides

How to write a professional resume summary [+examples], how to put your education on a resume [+examples], how to describe your work experience on a resume [+examples], let your resume do the work..

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Top 20 Police Officer Resume Summary Samples You Can Apply

When writing a resume or CV for a police officer’s job, you need to ensure that the summary statement is very impressive to get the recruiter/employer to get into the resume and read every part of it.

This can help a great deal to get an interview appointment from the recruiter/employer as they will have learnt what you are offering for the police officer position that you are seeking.

If you are looking to learn how to make an effective resume summary for a police officer job, then you will find this post very useful:

How to Make a Great Resume Summary Statement for a Police Officer Position

To make an effective police officer resume summary, you need to study the job description and requirements to learn about the role.

From the job description, you will learn about the duties and responsibilities of the police officer position that you will be expected to perform if hired.

And by studying the police officer job requirements, you will learn the skills, experience, training, etc. that you need to have to be effective working as a police officer for the organization, and which you must have to be considered for hiring.

Having read both the police officer job description and requirements published by the recruiter/employer, you will be able to make an effective summary statement for your police officer resume/CV that presents you as a perfect fit for the police job.

Your resume summary should highlight your best qualities and qualifications, including skills, abilities, education, experience, etc. that match with what the recruiter/employer also emphasized in the police officer job requirements they published.

It should also show that you have good understanding of the duties and responsibilities that describe the police officer position and can effectively carry them out.

A resume summary written this way shows that you fit the description of the person that the recruiter/employer wants for the police officer job and will receive the needed attention from them.

Now, let’s see some good examples of resume summary statements for police officer positions that you can apply in writing one for your resume/CV:

• Individual with excellent physical condition, agility, and stamina and GED. Desirous of a Police Officer position with the US Department of Veterans Affairs to utilize police academy training, great communication skills, problem sensitivity, and critical reasoning skills in providing outstanding service to the community.
• Seeking for Entry-level Police Officer position at City of Orlando Police Department. Coming with expertise in conducting investigations of complaints, leads and tips; detail orientation to keep and organize records; social perceptiveness and critical thinking skills to provide security service to the community.
• Excellent communicator with solid Knowledge of police procedures, laws, and local ordinances. Seeking the position of Police Officer in US Department of Defense; bringing 8+ years of extensive police experience to provide quality security service to the community.
• Hopeful for a Police Officer position with Orlando Police Department, to utilize 10 years of experience in serving the community and exceptional knowledge of human behavior and perception, and solid reasoning skills garnered from extensive service in the police force.
• Certified professional with ability to work under pressure and High School Diploma. Hopeful for a Police Officer position at Detroit Police Department. Offering extensive experience, strong knowledge of law, public safety, traffic laws, and great communication skills to provide outstanding service to the police department.
• Highly sensitive and empathetic individual with investigative skills and solid background in law enforcement duties. Desirous of a Police Officer position in Lexington Hospital to apply proven expertise and skills in ensuring the safety and security of patients, visitors and staff.
• Certified law enforcement officer, Looking to secure a Police Officer position with the New York State Police Department. To utilize expert knowledge of police procedures, laws, and local ordinances, case detection, and investigative abilities to provide safety and security for community members.
• Seeking an Entry-level Police Officer position with US Defense Department to utilize adept knowledge of crime prevention protocols, case detecting, and criminal report, and general patrolling capabilities, to enforce law and maintain order within the area of jurisdiction.
• Energetic individual with great communication skills and skilled in the use of firearms. Interested in the position of a Police Officer in the US Department of Defense, offering specialized knowledge of law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques to provide top-notch security services.
• Certified law enforcement officer with exceptional oral and written communication skills. Seeking the position of a Police Officer in CDC Police Department where proven capability to perform criminal investigative duties and patrols will be utilized. also bringing exceptional skill in the use of firearms.
• Hopeful for a Police Officer position with NYPD to utilize profound knowledge of policing methods and procedures, rights of detained individuals, and methods and procedures for enforcing specialized personnel access controls. Also coming with strong ability to prevent unauthorized access to areas where stringent security requirements are enforced.
• Sensitive and empathetic police officer with GED. Desirous of a Police Officer position in ABD Police Department; coming with vast knowledge of police officer methods and procedures, investigative abilities, and computer skills to operate the Incident Management system and the Security Force Management Information System.
• Analytical problem solver with deep knowledge of law enforcement operations, practices, and techniques, seeks the position of a Police Officer in Detroit Police Department. Offering excellent communication skills and Knowledge of the tactics, techniques, and procedures required for preparations and response to catastrophic events, enemy attacks, and related threats to installations.
• Seeking the position of a Police Officer in Orlando Police Department to apply 7+ years of police officer experience, Knowledge of police procedures, laws, and local ordinances, and passion for helping others in protecting lives and properties.
• Certified law enforcement officer with physical dexterity and great communication skills. Seeking for the position of a Police Officer in US Defense Department; to utilize strong investigative abilities and demonstrated capacity to secure and process a crime scene, and solid Knowledge of police officer methods and procedures.
• To work for the city of Los Angeles as a Police Officer. Keen on maintaining a safe environment in the city using training and experience gained from rigorous tasks and training to enforce order in the city.
• Exceptionally fit Police Officer seeking a position with Mississippi Home Office; bringing 7 years of advance experience in law enforcement and remarkable patrolling skills on state highways.
• Enthusiastic and assertive candidate seeking a Police Officer position with New York State Office where outstanding ability to handle multiple cases concurrently and strong expertise in law enforcement protocols will be applied to help secure the city.
• To work as a Police Officer at the city of Orlando Police Department, to bring outstanding understanding of up-to-date law enforcement practices as well as the ability to work collaboratively with the rest of the team.
• To gain a Police Officer position with XYZ Department with the aim of preserving law and order, preventing crime, enforcing traffic regulations, and ensuring peaceful coexistence of all citizens.

Your resume summary is important to having your police officer resume/CV read by the recruiter/employer, which increases your chances of being hired.

This post helps you with ideas and examples to be able to make an impressive resume summary for a police officer job.

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Police Officer Resume: Real Examples & Free Sample

Making sure that every citizen follows the law and keeping your community safe is tiring work, so it’s understandable that you haven’t had time to update your resume. Let us be your backup and help you with our expertly-written resume templates.

Police Officer Resume Example MSWord® Download our free Police Officer Resume template and put any poorly-written job application behind bars for good.

The search for a competent police officer demands a resume that emphasizes these abilities.

Just as you will be pushed to make rapid judgments as an officer, job recruiters will be compelled to make quick judgments about you based on what you detail in your application.

For this reason, it’s vital that you have a police officer resume that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

In this ResumeGiants guide, we’ll show you how to draft the ideal police officer resume , using templates, examples, and the following tips:

• Drafting a police officer resume that meets the required criteria
• Using the given job description to optimize your document
• Understanding the soft and hard skills you’ll need to demonstrate
• Comparing strong resume section examples to weaker ones

Let’s begin!

Police Officer Resume Sample

Below you’ll find our police officer resume example , made to show you the content, structure, and organization of a strong police officer resume:

[Jake Raymond]

[A-04, Peralta Palm Heights, NJ |   827-673-8369   |   [email protected]]

Experienced veteran with over 11 years experience at the Central City Police Department. Worked as a safety-oriented and observant patrol officer and in the drug task force for four years. Reacts swiftly to crises, constantly monitors suspicious activities, and carefully investigates crime scenes.

Central City Police Department, NJ

2014 – 2022

• Commanded and led a squad of 20 patrol officers on night patrol duty.
• Introduced training programmes for new recruits and upgraded squad competencies.
• Recognized need for disciplined attitude and leadership within lower ranks of the department
• Collaborated with the DEA to combat underground drug business in the Glades.

Police Officer

Star City Police Department, NJ

• Patrolled and guarded Central City’s most dangerous areas.
• Initiated a public outreach program for formerly-incarcerated individuals to minimize juvenile gang involvement.
• Introduced drug prevention schemes and activities in collaboration with city colleges.
• Increased the number of arrests by 32% in the Glades.

B.Sc. Criminal Justice & Police Science

Starling Special Police Academy | Starling City, NJ

2010 – 2013

• Graduated magna cum laude with a 3.8 GPA.
• Excelled in criminal psychology, drug identification, and sociology.
• Head of Karate Club
• Relevant Coursework: Drug Identification Course, Criminology, Cybersecurity, Psychology, Sociology, Forensic Science, Self Defense, Judo
• Soft skills: Communication, Leadership, Adaptability, Decision Making, Conflict Resolution
• Hard skills: First Aid, Arrest, Drug Identification, Interrogation Skills, Legal Knowledge

Certifications

• CPR/AED Certification (American Red Cross, 2012)
• Crisis Management Courses (Starling City Academy Workshop, 2011)
• Black Belt in Judo (Starling Self Defense Academy, 2010)

It’s hard enough to find free resume templates on the internet as it is. Feel free to use our police officer sample to guide you when making your own resume!

What’s the Best Police Officer Resume Format?

When it comes to writing the best police officer resume , you should start by selecting a resume format that is appropriate for your level of experience and goals.

The format of your resume is just as important as the content. The way the words are laid out on a page can make a big difference to the reader, and separates a good resume from a great one.

Generally speaking, a resume should usually be no more than a page long , unless you have lots of relevant experience that you really cannot miss out.

Take a look at some crucial information you should have on your resume:

• Contact/personal information
• Resume objective or summary
• Work experience
• Qualifications and achievements
• Soft and hard skills
• Other information relevant to the position

A reverse-chronological format is a gold standard for resumes in this industry and it should be the structure you use for your resume. This means the most recent experience is listed first, followed by the next most recent one, and so on.

This method immediately brings attention to your most relevant experience and qualifications.

Tips To Have the Perfect Format for Your Police Office Resume

Here are a few more pointers that you should keep in mind when drafting your police officer resume:

• Fonts like Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri are familiar to most people. They look professional, clean, and most importantly, readable.
• A legible font is important , but it should never be the star of your resume. The content itself is more important.
• Single line spacing works best. This ensures that the writing is not cramped, and leaves enough breathing space for the reader’s eyes.
• If you’re struggling to fill up the resume with content, 1.15 spacing works too.
• You don’t want too much white space on your resume; this will make it look empty.
• A single-inch margin is ideal.
• Make sure your headings are bold and in a slightly bigger font compared to the body text. This will help the reader navigate through your resume and makes for easier reading.
• Using pictures and images on a resume is generally not advised in the USA.
• You’d be much better off using this space to list your qualifications, experience, and achievements. 
• PDFs are the universally accepted gold standard when it comes to police officer resumes.
• A resume saved as a PDF can be more easily scanned by ATS if that software is being used by the recruiter.

Tweaking your resume to get the perfect format and structure can be difficult. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry!

Use our professional resume templates , and you’ll have the best police officer resume around with just a few clicks.

How to Write a Police Officer Resume Summary or Resume Objective

The first thing a job recruiter reads is the resume summary or resume objective. These are the headlines right at the top of your resume.

• A resume summary is a few lines that outlines your work experience , and your skill set. It gives a job recruiter an idea of what’s to come in the rest of the resume.
• A resume objective is ideal for less experienced candidates . It usually contains the skill set of a police officer and shows how their skills could be useful to a task force despite their lack of experience.

Think of a resume summary or a resume objective as the elevator pitch of your police officer resume. You only have a couple of minutes to impress a recruiter; this is your way to do it!

Police Officer Resume Summary Example

A strong police officer resume summary can give a recruiter a lot of information about you and help you make a good first impression.

Here are two examples of a police officer resume summary:

Sergeant with 7 years of experience in the police force, performing functions, including scheduling, mentoring, conducting training sessions, and arranging the departmental operations.

Experienced police sergeant with more than 7 years on the NYPD task force. In four years, led a demanding unit of 18 officers, leading to a 21% decrease in recorded offenses in the area. Initiated improved training regime, resulting in a 20% improvement in reflexes and reaction times.

The first example simply gives a short summary of the individual. However, the second one gives us more information and personality while still being concise.

How to Write an Entry-Level Police Officer Resume Objective

If you’re short on work experience as a police officer, a resume objective is probably the better alternative for you.

This is because resume objectives do not rely just on achievements and work experience to represent your value as a candidate. Instead, they can help you emphasize the specific skill set that you have and show how you can be a valuable asset to any task force.

Pay close attention to what is mentioned in the description of a job listing , since this is what you should tailor your resume around.

For example, if the job description specifies that the force is looking for individuals who have excellent communication skills for when on patrol, you may underline that you have these traits, making you one of the recommended candidates, even if you don’t have work experience.

🌟 Featured content: Study job descriptions for keywords . Include these keywords in your resume summary or resume objective. This tells a recruiter that you have the talents that the company is searching for in that specific role.

Entry-Level Police Officer Resume Objective

Take a look at the example below:

Enthusiastic entry-level police officer looking for employment within the task force. Lacking in prior experience but eager to put in the time and effort for law enforcement.

As you can see, this example does not give specific information, achievements, or skills that make the candidate look attractive to the recruiter. 

You want to persuade a recruiter by letting them know that you have the exact skills and traits they are looking for in this position, and this is why you are a great fit.

Here’s a better way to do it:

Former youth police cadet experienced in combat training, and public interaction. Recognized as President of the No-Ragging Committee. Experienced in resolving conflicts.  Self-defense capabilities were praised by judo teachers in high school.

How to Describe Your Police Officer Experience

This is the section of your resume where you may emphasize your credentials and achievements over the years.

To portray these talents in a way that will maximize your chances of getting an interview, you should concentrate on the exact qualities that an employer would value.

Your experience section is an excellent place to customize your resume to each job you’re interested in.

Make use of a thesaurus to avoid using the same words over and again. It’s important that you use strong words and powerful action verbs in your resume . For example, instead of saying “worked with others” say “collaborated with.”

Police Officer Resume Examples: Experience

Many of the tips and techniques we’ve discussed thus far apply to the experience section. Here are a few ways you can truly highlight your policing experience:

Police Sergeant

• Led a 56-strong team in Star City.
• Introduced a new “reaction time” training program.
• Oversaw drop in major crime offenses.
• Initiated extra training to reduce criminal response times.
• Led a bustling metropolitan city police department staffed by 56 police officers.
• Introduced a new training program, which increased reaction times by 23%.
• Oversaw a 12% drop in the number of major offenses recorded within a 200-mile radius.
• Additional police force training resulted in a 20% reduction in criminal response times.

Entry-Level Police Officer Resume: Experience Section

Don’t be concerned if you have little to no experience as a police officer, and you’re looking for a job on the task force.  You’ll be relieved to hear that creating a solid resume for a police officer with no experience is quite achievable.

Use the talents and abilities you’ve acquired along the road, even if they come from prior internships, volunteer programs , etc., to demonstrate your complete skill set.

Here’s an example of an entry-level experience section:

2015 – 2017

• Praised by sergeant for resolving conflicts.
• Identified and reported tear gas violence outside a stadium.

US Marine Corps

2013 – 2015

• Head of 12-man squad for a year.
• Handled $100,000 worth of equipment without any damage.
• Praised by sergeant for ability to resolve conflicts.
• Identified and reported tear gas violence outside a football game; perpetrators were successfully apprehended.
• In charge of a squad of 12 Marines. Achieved 18% increase through rigorous fitness programs.
• Incurred no losses in two years of handling $100,000 in equipment.

Don’t Shoot Blanks With Your Education Section

This section lists all of your academic qualifications. Many police departments demand only a high school diploma .

However, according to a study by California State University, Fullerton, over a third of police officers have a bachelor’s degree, 50% have two-year degrees, and over 5% of the police population have master’s degrees.

If you have passed the police academy and are searching for your first job, this would be useful and necessary information to provide, too.

You do not need to include your GPA score in your police officer resume if you have more than a year or two of genuine professional experience. If you don’t have any relevant experience, you can provide your GPA, preferably if it’s greater than 3.5.

Police Officer Resume Education Section

Take a look at some examples on how you can keep your police officer resume’s education section interesting:

BA in Criminal Justice

Starling City Community College | Starling City, NJ

2014 – 2017

• Graduated with 3.5 GPA
• Relevant Coursework: Criminology, Cybersecurity, Psychology, Sociology, Forensic Science, Self Defense
• Graduated magna cum laude with a 3.5 GPA.
• Excelled in criminology, forensics, and criminal psychology.

The Best Police Officer Skills for a Resume

This portion of your resume may seem simple, but it’s actually quite important. Your skill set has the ability to open up a whole new horizon of opportunities for both you and prospective employers.

Here, your soft and hard skills will be covered – soft skills are general skills that may be applied to most different professions, whereas hard skills are field-specific abilities that are developed on the job.

Below are some examples of each type of skill that you might consider using on a resume for policing jobs:

Soft Skills

• Organizational skills
• Physical fitness
• Adaptability
• Critical thinking
• Decision making
• Conflict resolution

Hard Skills

• Self defense
• CPR and First Aid
• Driving skills
• Weapons skills
• Legal knowledge
• Computer skills

How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Resume

The “Other” sections of your resume can help you differentiate yourself from the other candidates.  Finding ways to distinguish your application can go a long way, whether you’re writing a police sergeant resume or an entry-level cadet resume.

It’s an excellent addition to your resume because it highlights any other talents, accomplishments, and credentials you may have and demonstrates your readiness for the tasks and obligations of a police officer.

Any official certifications that can be added to your resume , such as CPR, AED, or BLS are great; these are incredibly useful abilities to include on a police resume and will undoubtedly appeal to most recruiters.

Police Officer Resume Sample “Other” Sections

Here are some examples of what an “Other” section would look like on a police officer’s resume:

Certificates

• Crisis Management
• CPR/AED Certification (American Red Cross, 2014)
• Crisis Management (SCPD Cadet Course, 2017)

As a police officer, there’s nothing wrong in adding parts of your own for the “Other” sections , as long as you follow the right format and organization and keep it clean, polished, and easy to read.

If the skills, qualifications, or internships and work placements are relevant to your role and the job description, you can make any experience work on a police officer resume.

Key Takeaways

In this ResumeGiants guide, we covered:

• When writing a resume to become a police officer, be sure to include either a resume summary or a resume objective, depending on your experience level. Resume summaries are preferable for more experienced officers like captains and sergeants, whereas resume objectives are preferable for entry-level cops.
• Be direct and straightforward when putting forth examples of activities and experiences as a police officer. Be concise , but don’t leave out any crucial information.
• The skills section is very important; it’s imperative that you highlight any soft and hard skills you have that could add value to your resume and any task force.
• Make sure you include any other certifications or qualifications you may have that are relevant to the job description. These set you apart from other candidates and give you an upper hand in the selection process.
• Being a police officer can be a stressful profession, but it also allows you to serve the people, so be responsible and diligent with your resume as well!

We hope this guide helps you craft the perfect police officer resume.

If you need further help, head over to our free resume builder , where you’ll find hundreds of ready-made templates that can help you create a brand-new police officer resume!

It’s easy to use, interactive, and just takes a few minutes to whip up a complete, professional resume.

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Security Officer I

• Madison, Wisconsin
• UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT/SECURITY OFFICERS
• Compliance, Legal, and Protection
• Staff-Full Time
• Opening at: Apr 3 2024 at 07:30 CDT
• Closing at: Apr 29 2024 at 23:55 CDT

Job Summary:

Completes security and safety checks on institutional property by vehicle patrol, foot patrol, and bicycle patrol or at a fixed location. Responds to emergency situations, assists with safety and security investigations, and accurately documents activities according to established policies, procedures, and applicable laws. Assists with routine unit administrative operational activities. Engages in problem solving and community engagement with security issues. Provide assistance with shift operations, administrative functions, special events, specialized assignments and projects. Physical Demands: Persons in this position must be able to stand or be mobile for extended periods of time.

Responsibilities:

• 25% Completes security and safety checks on institutional property by vehicle patrol, foot patrol, and bicycle patrol or at a fixed location
• 20% Responds to emergency situations, assists with safety and security investigations, and accurately documents activities according to established policies, procedures, and applicable laws
• 20% Assists with routine unit administrative operational activities
• 20% Engages in problem solving and community engagement with security issues
• 15% Required to work special events and assignments as identified by the Division.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals. The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world. For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Preferred H.S. Diploma

Qualifications:

Previous security experience is helpful, but not required. All other employment considered.

License/Certification:

Required Drivers License - Valid and Meets UW Risk Management Standards

Work Schedule:

Security Officer I may be scheduled on either first shift, second shift, or third shift which may include working holidays and weekends. Schedules may include working emergencies, special events or other necessary assignments as agreed upon with management.

Full Time: 100% It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Minimum $20.00 HOURLY Depending on Qualifications The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department (UWPD) is committed to attracting, retaining, and rewarding a highly qualified and diverse workforce by supporting competitive and equitable compensation practices through a job framework, salary structure and clear and flexible salary administrative guidelines.

Additional Information:

The UW-Madison Police Department is pleased to offer a $4,000 hiring bonus for new full-time employees! The bonus is available to candidates hired in to police officer, security officer, and dispatcher positions. The $4,000 bonus will be paid in three phases over the course of the new hire's first year of employment. The University of Wisconsin Madison Police Department participates in the State of Wisconsin excellent benefit program that includes the following: -Comprehensive health insurance and prescription coverage -Supplemental dental and vision insurance -Life and disability insurance -Accident coverage -Long-term care insurance -Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts -Coverage under the Wisconsin Retirement System (employer matching) -403(b) and 457(b) Retirement Accounts -Education Tuition Reimbursement -Paid Trainings -On duty paid work out time Generous paid leave: -Vacation benefits that increase over time -Nine paid legal holidays -Paid personal holidays -Paid sick leave Persons in this position must pass the initial application screening, all steps of the hiring process, an extensive background investigation, drug screen, psychological examination prior to beginning employment.

How to Apply:

Please click on the "Apply Now " button to start the application process. As part of the application process you will be required to upload your cover letter and resume in to the Talent Recruitment and Engagement Management System during the application process.

Nate Ebert [email protected] 608-469-3477 Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Security Officer I(CP041)

Department(s):

A77-UNIV POLICE DEPARTMENT/POLICE SECURITY OFFICERS

Employment Class:

University Staff-Ongoing

Job Number:

The university of wisconsin-madison is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer..

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Pre-Certified Police Officer

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An official website of the United States government

Police Officer

Department of veterans affairs, veterans health administration.

This position will serve as a Senior Police Officer at the Boise VA Medical Center in Boise, ID. The Police Officer will perform a full range of police duties by following and executing rules, regulations, or procedures covering law and rules enforcement, physical and personal security operations, patrol duties, control desk duty, coordination with local courts, and/or crime prevention activities for the local jurisdiction. *Recruitment incentive may be available to highly qualified candidates*

• Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

04/04/2024 to 04/19/2024

$58,098 - $75,529 per year

Pay scale & grade

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Boise, ID 1 vacancy

Telework eligible

Travel required.

25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed

Appointment type.

Permanent -

Work schedule

Full-time -

Competitive

Promotion potential

Job family (series).

0083 Police

Supervisory status

Security clearance, position sensitivity and risk.

Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

Announcement number

CBSV-12373485-24-GG

Control number

This job is open to, career transition (ctap, ictap, rpl).

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

• Protects the civil rights of all individuals on VA controlled property;
• Prevents, detect and investigate crimes;
• Patrols assigned areas on foot or by motor vehicle;
• Subdues persons causing disturbance or who threaten harm to themselves or others;
• Follows rules/procedures concerning search and seizure of evidence and contraband;
• Takes charge of significant and catastrophic events;
• Conducts investigations, apprehensions, and detention;
• Obtains search and arrest warrants;
• Arrests violators;
• Uses independent judgement in cases where policy is not clear;
• Provides basic first aid and CPR prior to arrival of emergency medical personnel;
• Prepares report of activities and events that occurred during shift;
• Performs traffic control;
• Assists citizens in emergency situations;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment.

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details

Qualifications

There is no educational substitution for the GS-07 level.

Additional information

Applicants and employees must have the capacity to perform the essential functions of the position without risk to themselves or others. Applicants and employees must possess emotional and mental stability. In most instances, a specific medical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant or employee. A medical condition or impairment is disqualifying only if the condition, for good medical reason, precludes assignment to or warrants restriction from the duties of the specific position. For some positions, the loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation shall also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/ . This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Salary/Rank etc.
• Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
• References, current or recent supervisor

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Professional Certification
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 04/19/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12373485 . 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login , select the Application Status link and then select the M ore Information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application , log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Gabriella granderson.

(281) 928-2981

[email protected]

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request

Required Documents

How to apply, fair & transparent.

This job originated on www.usajobs.gov . For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/785127800 . Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.

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Learn more about

OUR MISSION: - "To fulfill President Lincoln's promise to care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors". How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans? The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are I ntegrity, C ommitment, A dvocacy, R espect and E xcellence (" I CARE "). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Veterans Health Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

http://www.vacareers.va.gov/./

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Des Moines police sex harassment trial to begin in May as a plaintiff claims ongoing abuse

A years-long legal battle over alleged sex discrimination within the Des Moines Police Department is approaching trial, even as the plaintiffs raise new claims of ongoing harassment.

Five female officers and employees sued the department in 2021 , alleging leaders failed to prevent or adequately respond to a wide range of misconduct, including unsolicited nude photos from male coworkers, sexist insults and unwanted touching and groping. They also allege male officers received preferential assignments and promotions female officers who complained suffered retaliation.

More than two years later, four of the plaintiffs remain part of the suit and are set to go to trial in May. In recent weeks, the court has largely rejected the city's motion for summary judgment and declined to sever one plaintiff's claims from the rest of the suit.

In court filings, attorneys for the plaintiffs have claimed the mistreatment continues, with one officer saying a police union chief confronted and harangued her about the case in November.

City's summary judgment motion denied

Defense attorneys in court filings asked the court to grant summary judgment for the city on all claims. Attorney Lindsay Vaught argued in a February hearing that the plaintiffs' allegations, spanning more than two decades and ranging from physical abuse to delayed promotions, are too unconnected and spread out to support their claims of a persistently hostile work environment.

From 2021: These female Des Moines Police Department employees love their jobs. They say that's why they're suing.

"We’re dealing with different periods of time, different harassers, different leadership," she said.

The plaintiffs' attorneys responded that Iowa and U.S. Supreme Court precedents make clear workplace harassment should be considered holistically rather than piecemeal.

"Harassment has to be looked at as the totality of the circumstances," attorney Paige Fiedler argued in court, adding that the city has a responsibility to “take affirmative steps (to end harassment), not just play whack-a-mole.”

In ruling on the motion, District Judge Christopher Kemp found that some of the incidents alleged by the plaintiff, occurring in 2013 or prior, cannot be evidence of continuing violations because there is then a five-year gap before the next set of incidents. But he found the more recent allegations sufficient to take the case to a jury trial.

He also ruled there is a factual dispute about when department leaders were made aware of alleged sexual harassment by then-Officer and police union President Stew Barnes, leaving to the jury to decide whether the city could or should have investigated or disciplined Barnes sooner.

Barnes was accused of texting nude photos of himself and other inappropriate messages to multiple women. He retired in 2020 after being suspended pending an investigation, according to previous court filings.

Court refuses to split case into two trials

The city also argued that claims by plaintiff Capt. Cindy Donahue should be tried separately from the rest of the case, arguing her allegations were so different in timing and nature that they would cause "significant confusion and prejudice" against it by trying them together.

In an order March 29, Kemp ruled that, like the other plaintiffs, Donahue is alleging sexual harassment in the form of a hostile work environment, and that her claims should be tried with the rest of the case.

"Plaintiffs are alleging an underlying culture of sexism that affected each female employee," Kemp wrote. "... The court finds severance remains unwarranted in this case."

Des Moines police ignoring ongoing union harassment, officer says

One of the plaintiffs, Senior Police Officer Tracy Rhoads, says in court filings she was "confronted and harassed" in November by Officer Mathieu Dahlen, president of the Des Moines Police Bargaining Unit Association. Dahlen allegedly told her that her "soul was rotting," that the job was "eating her from inside out," and she should quit because remaining would "contribute to an even earlier death" from the already stressful occupation.

Dahlen connected his questions to her lawsuit, she alleged, asking her if she planned to leave if she got a settlement and about her May trial date — which, at that time, was not yet public knowledge, meaning he could only have learned it from the city's attorneys or department command staff, her attorneys believe.

Rhoads said she immediately filed a human resources complaint, but as of Feb. 13, the department's Office of Professional Standards had not taken any action, which her attorneys said was an indication the police department "fails to promptly and effectively remedy reports of harassment and retaliation." Her attorneys did not immediately respond to a message inquiring as to whether the department has since replied to that complaint.

The Des Moines Police Bargaining Unit Association did not respond to a message seeking comment on Dahlen's alleged comments.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at  [email protected]  or 715-573-8166 .

Hawaii Police Officer Who Alleged Racial Discrimination by Chief Settles for $350K, Agrees to Retire

A county in Hawaii has agreed to pay $350,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that the police chief discriminated against a captain for being Japanese American

Dennis Fujimoto

FILE - Kauai Police Chief Todd Raybuck speaks at a news conference in Lihue, Hawaii on Feb. 28, 2020. The Kauai Police Department in Hawaii will pay $350,000 to settle a captain's lawsuit alleging the police chief discriminated against him for being Japanese American. (Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island via AP, File)

HONOLULU (AP) — A county in Hawaii has agreed to pay $350,000 to settle a lawsuit that accused the police chief of discriminating against a captain for being Japanese American, including one instance when the chief squinted his eyes, bowed repeatedly and said he couldn’t trust Japanese people.

In the 2021 lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Honolulu against the Kauai Police Department and county, Paul Applegate, who is part Japanese, alleged that Chief Todd Raybuck mocked Asians on multiple occasions.

According to settlement terms provided by Kauai County, Applegate will receive about $45,000 in back wages, about $181,000 in general damages and about $124,000 in legal fees. Now acting assistant chief of the Investigative Services Bureau, Applegate, who is in his 50s, also agreed to retire from the department.

Under the settlement there is no admission of fault or liability.

Applegate’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Raybuck’s attorney, Jeffrey Portnoy, said the chief was opposed to the settlement.

Photos You Should See

“He wanted this case to go to trial to prove that the claims were unwarranted,” Portnoy said. “We refused to agree to the settlement, and therefore the chief was dismissed (from the case) before the settlement was consummated.”

Raybuck became Kauai’s police chief in 2019 after he retired from 27 years as a police officer in Las Vegas.

According to the lawsuit, the Kauai Police Department announced internally that a white officer had been selected as assistant chief of the administrative and technical bureau even though no formal selection process had taken place. When Applegate applied for the job anyway, Raybuck interviewed him one-on-one, even though department practice called for two people to conduct such interviews.

When Applegate met with Raybuck afterward to discuss the selection process, criteria and scoring, the lawsuit said, the chief mocked the appearance of Japanese people.

“Chief Raybuck proceeded to squint his eyes and repeatedly bow to plaintiff, stating that he could not trust Japanese people because they do not always tell the truth,” the lawsuit said. “He then stated that the Western culture ‘tells it like it is,’ whereas the Japanese culture says ‘yes, yes, yes’ to your face even when they think the person’s idea is stupid.”

An independent committee found the hiring process was done correctly and the chief denies any discriminatory conduct, Portnoy said.

Copyright 2024 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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'Mistake' or misconduct? After viral DUI body camera video, courtroom spectacle unfolds

The public defender for a man charged with DUI accused a Tallahassee police officer of planting evidence in his car during a traffic stop and arrest last year, though prosecutors called it a “mistake” and urged jurors to “stick to the facts” of the case.

Were it not for the sensational allegations of a frame job, the DUI trial of Calvin Riley Sr. might have gone unnoticed by the public, the media, the politicians and the PR people who came to the Leon County Courthouse to watch the live-streamed proceeding in person.

What was supposed to be a one-day trial on Friday turned into a spectacle, with multiple delays caused by the state’s failure to properly redact the officer’s body-worn camera video, which required repeated trips to the editing room. One of the jurors had to be struck after acknowledging he’d watched news coverage of the story the morning before trial.

By the end of the day, only one witness, Officer Kiersten Oliver, who initiated the traffic stop, had taken the stand. Jurors told the judge after 6 p.m. that it was getting late and they’d rather reconvene on Monday than work into the night.

County Judge Jason Jones, clearly exasperated by the fits and starts, told the six-person jury to return Monday morning. He admonished them to avoid any social media or news coverage about the sensational case, which burst into the public after Our Tallahassee , a left-leaning, electioneering media site, posted narrated body camera video of the arrest two days before the trial began. The video got nearly 3 million views, and the story drew national attention.

Jones expressed his dismay earlier, after Riley’s public defenders reviewed Oliver’s body-camera footage that prosecutors intended to play for jurors and found it had references to field sobriety tests, which Riley had refused at the scene and Jones had ordered inadmissible.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this in my 20 years of practicing law,” Jones said with jurors outside the courtroom. “This is unbelievable.”

Riley was arrested on May 7, 2023, after Oliver, who was at an unrelated traffic stop on South Monroe Street, spotted his white Mercedes speeding with his headlights off, according to the police report. It was 2 a.m., and Riley told an officer at the scene that he had just been to a bar where he’d had a couple of beers.

During a search of Riley’s vehicle — which prosecutors emphasized came after he was arrested and cuffed for DUI and driving on a suspended license — Oliver found a small bottle of vodka tucked in a passenger’s side pocket, opened it, spilled most of the contents out, put the cap back on and tossed the bottle into Riley’s car.

“This case involves an officer planting evidence,” said Assistant Public Defender Desiree Goodfellow during her opening statement. “I’m not going to sugar coat it. What you are going to see from the officer is shocking. It is egregious. It is outrageous. It is not an innocent mistake.”

TPD officer at the center of the case takes the stand

Emma Hirschy, a Florida State University law student and certified legal intern serving as lead prosecutor, said Oliver, who joined TPD in 2020, was trying to follow TPD policy on disposing of alcohol when she emptied the bottle.

“Seeing this bottle, she goes to open it, to dump it out, not realizing at the time that it was sealed,” Hirschy said. “She’s going to tell you that she didn’t realize that and that she made a mistake. And that’s all that happened. They didn’t take it into evidence.”

Oliver, who was on family leave and not expected to testify, ended up taking the stand. Hirschy said the state made the last-minute decision to call her — which prompted objections from Assistant Public Defender Eric Henely — because of the pre-trial publicity. Oliver had appeared earlier in a video deposition.

Under questioning by Hirschy, Oliver said she was “kind of shocked” when she saw Riley’s car speeding down South Monroe with its headlights off. 

“When I got behind (Riley’s car), it was starting to slow down, but it wasn’t stopping,” Oliver said. “My blue lights were on, and the vehicle was kind of swerving in and out, crossing the line into the right-hand lane next to it. There was a vehicle next to it at one point, and they never collided or anything but ... it concerned me that they were going to hit them.”

Oliver said after pulling him over, she noticed his eyes were “watery” and “kind of bloodshot.” She said she had to show him that his lights were off and that things were “fumbling and falling” as he pulled papers from a visor to find his driver’s license, which he couldn’t produce. His license was suspended for failing to carry insurance.

She said she saw a Tervis tumbler near the center console and that it smelled of alcohol. But she was unsure if she could smell it and asked a fellow officer, Margaret Mueth, who has more DUI case experience, to assist. 

“I feel like I’m getting some indications,” Oliver said early in the 40-plus minute body-cam video that the state played for the jury. “But I’m not sure.” On the stand, she said he didn't smell "overwhelmingly like alcohol." Asked what his car smelled like, though, Oliver said, "It smelled like alcohol and marijuana."

Riley, as seen on the video, protested his treatment loudly and repeatedly throughout the incident and insisted he didn't smoke "weed." Oliver offered to help him make a phone call and said she was calling a tow truck as he shouted over her.

“You don’t even need to be wearing that badge,” Riley said. “You said you smelled marijuana. You’re a liar. And I’m going to prove that. And they’re going to fire you. Run the teletype, you’re messing with the wrong person.”

TPD Sgt. Brian Smith, on scene by that point, offered a suggestion, which Riley declined.

“You know you can provide a breath sample if this is all a misunderstanding,” Smith said.

During testimony about the vodka bottle, Oliver said she found it during a search that happened after Riley’s arrest on the two charges. 

“Did the vodka bottle play ... any role in your decision to have him placed under arrest for driving under the influence or driving with a suspended license?” Hirschy asked.

“No,” Oliver said, “because it was found post his arrest.”

Defense lawyer points out inconsistent testimony from officer

Goodfellow homed in on the bottle during cross-examination. She asked if she found a bottle, picked it up and opened it. Oliver answered affirmatively to the questions.

“That bottle was sealed before you opened it?” Goodfellow asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” Oliver replied.

“You broke the seal,” Goodfellow asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” she said.

Oliver testified that she dumped the vodka out onto the road, put the top on and put threw it on the passenger side.

“Has that always been your testimony?” Goodfellow asked, referring to her previous sworn statements.

“Everything that you just asked, I did not know that I opened the bottle in my original testimony,” she said.

“Every trial hearing, you testified to tell the truth?” Goodfellow continued. “And you testified that you did. So at that time, that was a lie?”

“Unknowingly, yes,” Oliver said.

Politicians spotted in the courtroom crowd

Courtroom 2F was fairly packed early in the day, though the crowd thinned as the trial bogged down. Spotted in the gallery were Leon County Commissioner David O’Keefe, who sat briefly with City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow before leaving. Matlow — an ally of Our Tallahassee founder Max Herrle, the political operative who wrote the story and narrated the video that went viral — spent much of the day in the courtroom. 

Public Defender Jessica Yeary, who on Thursday called Riley’s arrest an “injustice,” spent the entire day in the courtroom. Jamie Van Pelt, who does communications for the public defender, was at her side in the morning.

Assistant State Attorneys Garett Berman and Eric Trombley sat at the defense table with Hirschy and joined her in numerous sidebars. Jason Newlin, longtime investigator for the State Attorney's Office, was on hand periodically.

In other developments, the Florida Police Benevolent Association issued a statement Friday blasting Herrle, saying the story took "biased reporting to a pathetic new level.” The PBA said it was exploring legal options to “prevent further jury tampering” in future cases and called for an “immediate investigation” into how the body-cam video “was leaked” to Herrle.

Matlow defended Herrle's work, posting on Facebook that "the failure of the police union to recognize wrongdoing, and work to make sure it doesn’t happen again is a disservice to our community and their membership."

Contact Jeff Burlew at [email protected] or 850-599-2180.