Police Jobs

The area of law enforcement involves different types of police jobs.
Some police officers work for the federal government, some work for
state government and some work for local or municipal authorities. The
nature of each type of job depends on the area in which the officer
works and the scope of the responsibilities. In a general sense,
police officers and detectives work to apprehend criminals and keep
society safe. They have to write up reports on incidents and are
involved in investigation of claims in illegal activities and very
serious cases, such as homicides.

Within the title of police officer, there are specific roles. The
uniformed police officer carries out general law enforcement duties,
performs patrols of specific areas and responds to calls for service.
They may be involved in directing traffic at the scene of an accident,
investigating a burglary, be called upon to assist in breaking up a
disturbance or a domestic dispute and patrol the streets stopping
those who speed or drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. They
may be assigned to a specific duty or to patrol a certain area if they
work with a large police force.

Some police jobs are very specialized, such as working as a
correctional officer with young offenders. Some have firearms or
forensic training and others may be involved in fingerprinting or
handwriting analysis. In some areas, there may be a mounted division
of the force where the officers patrol their areas on horseback.
Bicycles, motorcycles, and boats are other methods of transportation
for police officers. Some of the police jobs involve working with dogs
who are trained to sniff out drugs or help find missing persons.

There are various levels within the police force. All new officers
start off as constables and have to work their way up through the
ranks with experience and training. These higher ranks include
detective, investigator, chief and commissioner.