The Ultimate Law Enforcement Career List for 2023 (With Salaries)

Building a career in law enforcement is a challenging and rewarding task at the same time. Sworn law enforcement officers have the authority to carry firearms, make arrests and have taken an oath to enforce the law. Different officers have various job titles, career opportunities and duties that we will summarize in our guide below.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the United States Department of Labor in 2014 there were 3,44,3800 people in protective service occupations and the projected number for 2024 is 3,597,700, which means 4.5% growth. That is lower than the average for the country. The demand however, varies according to the specific career within law enforcement you would like to pursue. While the demand for police officers and detectives is expected to raise by 4% for the same period (2014-2024), the need for more specialized experts, especially in the field of Information and Technology will be much greater. The demand for Cybersecurity Specialists is expected to increase by more than 25% and for Information Security Analysts by 37%. Therefore, we can say that employment opportunities in the law enforcement sector will be available for those who pursue them and properly prepare for the exams and interviews associated with hiring process for the job.

Have a look at the law enforcement career list below to find the job that best matches your interests and skills. Once you decide, you can start browsing the Law Enforcement Job Openings available.

Law enforcement career list by type of job

A law enforcement officer can occupy three basic types of jobs: uniformed officer, investigator/detective, and support staff. The daily activities and duties of police officers and detectives differ according to their specialty however they all have one thing in common in addition to keeping us safe: writing reports and maintaining well-kept records of the incidents they deal with. This is of particular importance when they have to testify in court, for example. Here are a few details about each type of job, that you might be interested in.

Uniformed officers

Uniformed police officers have an enforcement role. Their general law enforcement duties and responsibilities include regular patrols as well as responding to calls for service. Other duties include directing traffic at the place of an accident, giving first aid to victims, or investigating burglaries. Doing paperwork and responding to calls also takes up a great part of their working day.

In smaller towns the uniformed police officer may patrol alone but in some areas, especially larger urban areas, this can be done with a partner. The larger police agencies are organized into districts/precincts and each patrolling officer has a specific region to cover. The officers become familiar with their patrol area and while on patrol they remain alert for anything that looks unusual or suspicious. While on their shift, the uniformed officer may identify, pursue and arrest suspected criminals, resolve community problems, respond to domestic violence incidents, etc. Many urban police agencies practice the so called “community policing” – an officer builds relationships with the citizens of a neighborhood and mobilizes them to assist in fighting crime by learning what to watch for be providing information to the police.

Uniformed police officers may also have some investigative functions , however, a police agency usually has a separate investigative division. A police officer is usually promoted to these investigative positions as a result of their good work and qualifications.

Examples of uniformed officer jobs include:

• Local Police Officer – operates locally in a city or town under a chief of police.
• Deputy Sheriff – similar to a police officer but operates at a county level under the sheriff, who is usually an elected official.
• State Trooper – also called state police officer or highway patrol officer. They arrest criminals and patrol highways and are in charge of enforcing motor vehicle laws and regulations.
• Border Patrol Agent – patrols borders and deals with illegal immigration
• Special jurisdiction Police Officer – they have special geographic jurisdiction and serve transportation systems or facilities. These are public college and university police forces, public school district police and the like.
• Fish and Game Warden – they enforce fishing, hunting and boating laws. Their duties include patrol of hunting and fishing areas, response to complaints and calls, conduct of rescue and search operations.

Investigators and detectives (plainclothes officers)

The second large branch of law enforcement career opportunities includes the investigators, detectives, and special agents, or the so called plainclothes officers. Detectives gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases. They conduct interviews with suspects and witnesses, participate in suspect observations, and in raids and making arrests. Some detectives are part of inter-agency task forces that deal with specific crimes such as fraud, human trafficking, drugs, etc. Detective are assigned to a specific cases and work the case until it is resolved, which may include an arrest and trial. In police agencies uniformed police officers can become investigators through promotion or advancement. In other specialized criminal investigation agencies, such as FBI or the Secret Service, you may be hired directly to work as a Special Agent in an investigative division.

Some job examples for plainclothes officers include:

• Criminal investigator
• Detective
• Immigration inspector
• FBI Agent
• US Secret Service Special Agent
• Air Marshal

Support Positions

The support positions in law enforcement are as important as the uniformed and plainclothes officers. Usually these are professionals who support the investigation and deal with things like categorizing evidence, ballistic tests and examinations, lab tests and experiments. For example, the person in charge of inventorying the evidence is called an evidence technician. Often the support positions are with larger agencies or crime labs. The job openings are filled by personnel hired specifically to do that job or by officers and agents who have advanced in their career.

If you want to occupy one of the law enforcement support positions, you may choose between:

• Criminal Analyst
• Evidence Technician
• Firearms Examiner
• Crime Lab Technician
• Hand Writing Examiner
• Intelligence Analyst
• Investigative Assistant

Levels of operation in the law enforcement career list

All three types of law enforcement jobs listed above are utilized for law enforcement agencies at all three levels of government. The three basic levels are local, state and federal. The duties and responsibilities of all officers differ depending on their specific position and the level at which they operate. Below you can find the basic details of the responsibilities of a law enforcement officer at each level.

Local

At a local level uniformed officers and detectives are responsible for enforcing the law in a certain area such as a town or city. They pursue and apprehend individuals who break the law, investigate burglaries, homicides, and any suspicious activity they notice. Uniformed police officers patrol, respond to calls and may be in charge of traffic direction at a crime scene, while detectives gather evidence and conduct interviews until the case is resolved.

County

Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs are the law enforcement officers that are responsible at the county level. Sheriffs perform duties on enforcing the law that are similar to local police chief. The difference is that they are usually elected to their posts. The sheriff deputies also provide security in county courts and as such are sometimes referred to as bailiffs.

State

State police officers or state troopers are those who patrol on the highways and are in charge of motor vehicle laws. Their main tasks include issuing traffic citations, directing traffic at crime scenes and giving first aid to accident victims. State police officers often assist other law enforcement agencies. They also have court-related duties, answer to calls, perform investigative or administrative work.

Federal

There are many agencies that operate at federal level.

• FBI or the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the government’s principal investigative agency. The FBI can conduct investigations in more than 200 areas concerning federal law and can deal with sensitive information and issues related to the national security. Some of the criminal investigations carried out by FBI Agents include organized crime, cyber-crime, terrorism, kidnapping, drug and human trafficking, corruption.
• Specialized Federal agencies – in addition to FBI, there are many other specialized agencies that enforce federal law in specific sectors. The Secret Service is responsible for protecting the President, vice President and their families, as well as other public officials. The agents working for the Secret Service are two types – Special Agents and Uniformed Officers, and both have very specific responsibilities and have to meet very high criteria to be employed. Other specialized federal law enforcement officers are the Federal Air Marshals, who provide air security, US Border Patrol agents who enforce illegal immigration, US Drug Enforcement (DEA) agents dealing with all aspects of illegal drugs and Custom Inspectors who supervise all imports and exports and enforce the laws governing all the cargo, baggage, items, etc., that enter or leave the USA.
• Other – sworn law enforcement officers with arrest powers are employed by other federal agencies as well. Some of the major names are the Postal Services, the Forest Service, the National Park Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Law Enforcement.

All law enforcement officers, regardless of their specific job title or level at which they work, should keep immaculate paperwork. They are responsible for writing reports and keeping records of all accidents as these might be necessary if they testify in court.

Basic salary information in law enforcement

The information about the salary in the law enforcement sector differs significantly depending on the type of job and level of operation. Furthermore, the average salary for people with jobs in law enforcement can be summarized by years of experience, state, city, name of agency, etc. Therefore, make sure to check the official law enforcement website with job listings for specific details on how to apply, what qualifications you need and what salary you should expect. A good reference for the salary information is the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Career Profiles where you can find statistical data about the job you are interested in.

Here are some figures that can help you.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average wage in the field of protective service for 2014 was $37,180. The national occupation and wage estimates as of May 2016 provide the following figures for the protective services occupations:

Job Title	Annual Medium Income
Protective Service Occupations	38,660
Supervisors of Protective Service Workers	67,430
First-Line Supervisors of Law Enforcement Workers	77,500
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers	60,560
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives	84,840
First-Line Supervisors of Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers	74,540
Miscellaneous First-Line Supervisors, Protective Service Workers	47,820
First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All Other	47,820
Fire Fighting and Prevention Workers	48,290
Firefighters	48,030
Fire Inspectors	56,130
Fire Inspectors and Investigators	58,440
Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists	36,230
Law Enforcement Workers	53,240
Bailiffs, Correctional Officers, and Jailers	42,820
Bailiffs	42,670
Correctional Officers and Jailers	42,820
Detectives and Criminal Investigators	78,120
Fish and Game Wardens	51,730
Parking Enforcement Workers	37,950
Police Officers	59,750
Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers	59,680
Transit and Railroad Police	66,610
Other Protective Service Workers	25,960
Animal Control Workers	34,550
Private Detectives and Investigators	48,190
Security Guards and Gaming Surveillance Officers	25,840
Gaming Surveillance Officers and Gaming Investigators	32,630
Security Guards	25,770
Miscellaneous Protective Service Workers	25,020
Crossing Guards	26,700
Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers	20,290
Transportation Security Screeners	39,680
Protective Service Workers, All Other	28,720

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