Law Enforcement Positions DescribedThe links found below from each type of law enforcement to the web are to a site created and managed by Sergeant Terry Smart of the Pima College Department of Public Safety.
In municipal (city) policing, a rookie cop works up the ladder from patrol duties to corporeal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and so on. The titles may vary from one department to another, but most departments are para-military in this regard. Many large communities have constant openings at the patrol level. Increasingly, decisions concerning promotions and pay increases are based upon merit, not politics. Some departments reward college graduates with a higher start pay than non-grads. Unfortunately, too few departments require recruits to have a college education. In the not-too-distant future a college degree will likely be the norm.County sheriffs are typically responsible for patrolling county roads as well as all other county property (not city streets, city property, etc.). This usually brings them in contact with outlying communities and may result in some local municipal patrol authority. Some county police departments are quite large (10,000+) while others are very small. Remember, the average city/county law enforcement agency has only 10 members! A student entering county law enforcement may also aspire to promotions which carry additional responsibilities and increased pay.
State police have primary responsibility for state highways and state property (parks, recreation areas, etc.) and also support county, city, and federal police, whenever appropriate. Support activities include ballistics, fingerprinting, crime scene photography, and records.
There are dozens of federal law enforcement agencies - including such well-known ones as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), US Customs, the U.S. Marshall's Office, the and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The amount of hiring depends upon federal budgets.
Many federal agencies require their recruits to have a college degree. The type of degree often depends on the agency and its assignments at that time. Some require that job applicants be between 23-35 years of age. All federal agencies are affirmative action/equal opportunity employers--minorities and women are encouraged to apply.
University campus policing is often over looked by criminal justice students graduating college. Campus policing can be both professionally and personally rewarding in that it pays well, typically takes place in an attractive location, seldom requires the use of force, sometimes offers free tuition for one's self, spouse, and children, includes a great deal of social interaction (with fellow officers, local police/sheriffs, school administrators, faculty, staff, and students) and provides opportunities for advancement.
Private security (sometimes referred to as loss prevention) employs over 1 million people in the USA. . In comparison, the nation has only 700,000 public law enforcement personnel. Pay and benefits in the private sector vary much more than in the public sector and, because of this, may have a lower low end and a much higher high end. For example, the director of an industrial security force may earn upwards of $80,000 per year while a retail store security guard may only earn minimum wage.
Private security includes security at some parks, airports, theaters, retail operations, manufacturing plants, and residential settings. This is a rapidly growing sector in enforcement. Many security personnel do not have the power of arrest and, therefore, are not armed. In this respect, they are supportive to area police.
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