All of the different police officer jobs fall into one of four basic categories. Administrative, investigations, patrol, and traffic are the four categories. Other jobs may exist, depending on the country, region, and location. A police officer is a member of the public who works for the government of a country, state, province, city, or county. Police officers are public servants tasked with enforcing the law and ensuring the safety of their communities.
The patrol division is one of the most common police officer jobs. Patrol officers make up the majority of a police department’s workforce. Patrol officers are in charge of responding to service calls. Any ongoing crimes or citizen complaints are considered calls of service. These calls could be about serious crimes or just simple complaints or concerns. Patrol officers also drive around a predetermined area or region to ensure that everything is in order. Some police departments provide citizens with business and home checks, in which a patrol officer will drive at predetermined hours to inspect a structure.
One of the most important positions in law enforcement is that of an investigation officer. Investigation officers are in charge of looking into the crimes’ causes and suspects. These are the officers who frequently locate suspects and gather evidence in order to prosecute criminals. Police officers who conduct investigations can be of any rank, but they are most commonly referred to as detectives.
Different police officer jobs include traffic officers, in addition to patrol officers and investigations officers. Traffic cops keep an eye on the streets, highways, and roads to ensure that everyone is driving safely. Citizens who break traffic laws are issued tickets traffic officers. Traffic officers are also patrol officers in some smaller law enforcement agencies.
Regardless of the various types of police officer jobs available, they all serve and protect the public. Even administrative police officers are tasked with serving and protecting the public. They usually work at a desk in an office. These officers take calls, write reports, interact with the public, and occasionally supervise other officers. Administrative police officers can work in any department of a police force. They are frequently the ones who ensure that the business side of a law enforcement system runs smoothly.
All of the different police officer jobs are important, from investigations to patrol. Police officers apprehend criminals and prevent crimes from occurring. There would be no one to enforce the laws and protect the citizens if police officers were not present.