This basic job of law enforcement and protection of rights of the citizens is not a cake walk. We dwell in a world where crime has transformed into a much bigger and graver danger as compared to what it used to be in the early days. Today, criminals as well as terrorists work together, making the job of a police officer even tougher. A police officer is hence required to act as a savior, investigator, as well as protector or the citizens as well as their property. Apart from dealing with crime, a police officer may also be required to perform other duties of inspection as well as regular checking, which are so very imperative to the state.
Out of the various job profiles as well as professions known to us, the environment in which a police officer is required to work is among the toughest as well as most severe. Often, they have to run after criminals as well as after others who breach the law. As a police officer, you are always required to be on your toes as well as in a cautious mode in lookout for any unforeseen events. Many times, police officers have to scrape through death or other forms of corporal damage, owing to countering criminal activities. As far as the personal lives of a police officer is concerned, the profession does to an extent have its effect on your personal life as well.
In case you aspire to be one of the US federals and work for the federal agencies as well as the DEA, frequent traveling would be an inevitable part of the job responsibilities of yours. There is a great possibility of being relocated at various times in the entire term of service. Often, it might turn out that this deputation is to a place where the weather conditions as well as the terrain are not so favorable.
Among the broad profile of a police officer, there are a host of different specialties and the job responsibilities of all the officers of these types are different. The following is a list of these basic job responsibilities:
- At the level of counties, police officers work as general law enforcers, and are known as sheriffs. A sheriff is also required to handle a rather small bunch of reporting police officers, along with the able help of a deputy sheriff.
- There may also be certain other police officers, who may be specified in certain intensive fields of investigation and law enforcement. The major ones amongst these include microscopic as well as chemical analysis, advanced as well as basic training in using firearms.
- There are other cadres of police officers such as those who are uniformed police officers and are required to perform rather common as well as routine affairs of duties which include general patrolling as well as recording reports of crimes and attending to service requests. They are concerned with employing any preventive measures before the occurrence of any crime or other types of law breaches.
- Other activities of a police officer may involve special functions such as those in SWAT as well as forensics.
Minimum qualification and requirements to be a US police officer is to be a United States Citizen, 20 years of age, pass the fitness and written test, and also have a high school diploma. You can also attain an associate or bachelor's degree in law enforcement and the related fields. There is a host of colleges and universities that provides courses in administration as well as law enforcement. By doing so, you can brighten the chances of getting a good job. Police officers also need to do professional training at a police academy before they can actually get this job.
As a police officer, your salary depends upon your job requirements. The average salary of a police chief lies in the range of $70,000 to $90,000. As the post increases, the job responsibilities as well as the salaries also increase.
