Police Careers
Police careers are on the rise as the law enforcement arena continues to thrive. Cities, towns, and communities throughout the country continue to rely on their respective police forces to combat criminal elements and activities. Technological advances as well as intensified post-September 11 anti-terrorism efforts have paved the way for a new generation of law enforcement specialists trained to satisfy changing and growing security requirements.
Most Popular Police Careers
Despite the advent of new technology and areas of specialization, the following police careers remain the most popular option for those venturing into the law enforcement domain.
Performing general law enforcement duties, police officers do regular patrols and respond to calls for service. Traffic management at accident sites, theft investigation, and first aid administration to accident victims also form part of their to-do list. While on duty, they identify, go after, and apprehend alleged criminals, enforce traffic rules, and resolve conflicts in the community. Some police careers specialize in areas such as chemical and microscopic analysis, training and firearms instruction, and handwriting and fingerprint identification.
Another police officer career option is that of a state trooper, who arrests criminals all over the state and patrols highways to ensure motorists’ compliance with motor vehicle laws and regulations. State police officers are authorized to issue traffic citations to violators, and may also direct traffic, administer fist aid, and request for emergency equipment at accident sites.
Detective work is also among the most preferred police officer careers. Detectives are plainclothes investigators who often work with inter-agency task forces designated to fight specific types of criminal activity. They gather data and evidence to support the filing of criminal cases, interview witnesses and resource persons, examine records, conduct surveillance on suspects, and take part in raids and arrests.
Regarded as the country’s chief fugitive hunting agency, the U.S. Marshals claim to locate and arrest the most number of federal fugitives every year, its annual tally often exceeding the combined total of all national law enforcement organizations. U.S. Marshals and deputy U.S. marshals pursue some of the most challenging missions that accompany police careers. They are charged to protect the Federal courts and the judicial system, specifically by securing the Federal judiciary, transporting Federal prisoners, protecting Federal witnesses, and safeguarding goods seized from criminal organizations.
Other Emerging Police Career Options
Rapidly gaining prominence as a career in police is forensic analysis, which uses breakthrough scientific methods to preserve and evaluate evidence and develop investigative leads to support the filing of civil and criminal cases. DNA analysis and firearm examination are among the areas that forensic analysts may choose to specialize in.
Tasked to enforce fishing, hunting, and boating laws, fish and game wardens guard hunting and fishing sites, perform search and rescue operations, address complaints and investigate accidents, and participate in court cases.
Known as the government’s chief investigators, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents investigate violations of over 200 categories of Federal law as well as sensitive cases involving national security. Surveillance work, court-authorized monitoring of wiretaps, business records examination, white collar crime investigations, and undercover assignments make the FBI a veritable provider of exciting police careers.
A 40-hour work week is typical among uniformed officers, detectives, agents, and inspectors, with most of them claiming overtime pay on top of their regular police officer salary. They usually work on shifts, observe long hours during investigations, and report for duty any time their services are needed. Such demands are permanent realities of police careers.
