The police officer job description consists of many different types of duties. They must be able to handle a wide variety of responsibilities and tasks that most people would never consider doing. They have to be able to often move quickly and possibly carry injured people and even help change tires! The police officer’s job description also includes being able to understand the laws they are asked to enforce as well as make quick – and accurate – judgments when making arrests. This is especially important if the officer is dealing with potentially violent situations.
A police officer job description would also include being physically fit and strong enough to carry out the more strenuous parts of police work. Some of these duties include having to carry or move rescued or injured people as well as being trained in self-defense in hand-to-hand combat or arresting a criminal offender putting up a fight. Self-defense is one of the most important parts of the job. It can make all the difference whether an officer can take care of him or herself when restraining violent offenders.
A basic education is also important in the police officer job description. Police officers must be able to read and write well enough to understand complicated directions and reading material. This is very important during training at the police academy where there will be a lot of reading in and out of the classroom.
When not on the job, police officers spend time on shooting ranges practicing their marksmanship. This can make or break their chances of surviving a shoot-out. Many departments have a minimum number of hours each month that officers must spend on the range practicing. Good marksmanship is one of the most important parts of a police officer job description.
Later, after being hired by the police department, a police officer may be chosen to participate in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training. This is for a specially selected group of officers who have received extra training in firearms and dealing with very dangerous situations, such as hostage-taking or bomb threats.
One important part of law enforcement training of a police officer job description is advanced first aid. A police officer is often the first responder on the scene after a car accident or other mishap and must be able to quickly administer first aid. This includes CPR in the case of victims of heart attacks or accidents as well as stopping bleeding, handling burned victims, and even delivering babies!
After spending some time – usually a couple of years – on a department, a police officer may be considered for various promotions. These depend, of course, on the size of the department, their budget, and their manpower needs. The department may be large enough for a detective division, for example. For someone who likes to help solve a crime this could be a good career move. Jobs where an officer moves from patrolman to sergeant to lieutenant to deputy chief, and so on are called ‘vertical’ moves within the department. A lieutenant who is part of a patrol group could apply for a detective or evidence or forensic specialist job (if qualified). This would be an example of a ‘lateral’ move within a department.
Sometimes the department sends likely police officer candidates to special schools for extra training. This would be in the case of a SWAT team. Often police departments join forces with other law enforcement agencies to organize regional teams to combat certain types of crime, such as illegal drugs.
The average police officer is called upon to handle many roles and duties in the course of a workday. A police officer job description may seem never-ending but most police officers wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
A police officer job description would also include being physically fit and strong enough to carry out the more strenuous parts of police work. Some of these duties include having to carry or move rescued or injured people as well as being trained in self-defense in hand-to-hand combat or arresting a criminal offender putting up a fight. Self-defense is one of the most important parts of the job. It can make all the difference whether an officer can take care of him or herself when restraining violent offenders.
A basic education is also important in the police officer job description. Police officers must be able to read and write well enough to understand complicated directions and reading material. This is very important during training at the police academy where there will be a lot of reading in and out of the classroom.
When not on the job, police officers spend time on shooting ranges practicing their marksmanship. This can make or break their chances of surviving a shoot-out. Many departments have a minimum number of hours each month that officers must spend on the range practicing. Good marksmanship is one of the most important parts of a police officer job description.
Later, after being hired by the police department, a police officer may be chosen to participate in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training. This is for a specially selected group of officers who have received extra training in firearms and dealing with very dangerous situations, such as hostage-taking or bomb threats.
One important part of law enforcement training of a police officer job description is advanced first aid. A police officer is often the first responder on the scene after a car accident or other mishap and must be able to quickly administer first aid. This includes CPR in the case of victims of heart attacks or accidents as well as stopping bleeding, handling burned victims, and even delivering babies!
After spending some time – usually a couple of years – on a department, a police officer may be considered for various promotions. These depend, of course, on the size of the department, their budget, and their manpower needs. The department may be large enough for a detective division, for example. For someone who likes to help solve a crime this could be a good career move. Jobs where an officer moves from patrolman to sergeant to lieutenant to deputy chief, and so on are called ‘vertical’ moves within the department. A lieutenant who is part of a patrol group could apply for a detective or evidence or forensic specialist job (if qualified). This would be an example of a ‘lateral’ move within a department.
Sometimes the department sends likely police officer candidates to special schools for extra training. This would be in the case of a SWAT team. Often police departments join forces with other law enforcement agencies to organize regional teams to combat certain types of crime, such as illegal drugs.
The average police officer is called upon to handle many roles and duties in the course of a workday. A police officer job description may seem never-ending but most police officers wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.