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\..Police, Detectives, and Special Agents [link159]

(A list of D.O.T.  codes is available on request.  See page 468.)

Nature of the Work

The safety of our Nation's cities, towns, and highways greatly
depends on the work of police officers, detectives, and special
agents, whose responsibilities range from controlling traffic to
preventing and investigating crimes.  In most jurisdictions, whether
on or off duty, these officers are expected to exercise their
authority whenever necessary.

   As civilian police department employees and private security
personnel increasingly assume routine police duties, police and
detectives are able to spend more time fighting serious crime.
Police and detectives are also becoming more involved in community
relations increasing public confidence in the police and mobilizing
the public to help the police fight crime.

   Police officers and detectives who work in small communities and
rural areas have many duties.  In the course of a day's work, they
may direct traffic at the scene of a fire, investigate a burglary,
or give first aid to an accident victim.  In a large police
department, by contrast, officers usually are assigned to a specific
type of duty.  Most officers are detailed either to patrol or to
traffic duty; smaller numbers are assigned to special work such as
accident prevention.  Others are experts in chemical and microscopic
analysis, firearms identification, and handwriting and fingerprint
identification.  In very large cities, a few officers may work with
special units such as mounted and motorcycle police, harbor patrols,
helicopter patrols, canine corps, mobile rescue teams, and youth aid
services.

   Sheriffs and deputy sheriffs generally enforce the law in rural
areas or those places where there is no local police department.
Bailiffs are responsible for keeping order in the courtroom.  U.S.
marshals serve civil writs and criminal warrants issued by Federal
judges and are responsible for the safety and transportation of
jurors and prisoners.

   Detectives and special agents are plainclothes investigators who
gather facts and collect evidence for criminal cases.  They conduct
interviews, examine records, observe the activities of suspects, and
participate in raids or arrests.

   Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents investigate
violations of Federal laws in connection with bank robberies, theft
of Government property, organized crime, espionage, sabotage,
kidnapping, and terrorism.  Agents with specialized training usually
work on cases related to their background.  For example, agents with
an accounting background may investigate white-collar crimes such as
bank embezzlements or fraudulent bankruptcies and land deals.
Frequently, agents must testify in court about cases that they
investigate.

   Special agents employed by the U.S. Department of Treasury work for
the U.S. Customs Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms; the U.S. Secret Service; and the Internal Revenue
Service.  Customs agents enforce laws to prevent smuggling of goods
across U.S. borders.  Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents might
investigate suspected illegal sales of guns or the underpayment of
taxes by a liquor or cigarette manufacturer.  U.S.  Secret Service
agents protect the President, Vice President, and their immediate
families, Presidential candidates, ex-Presidents, and foreign
dignitaries visiting the United States.  Secret Service agents also
investigate counterfeiting, the forgery of Government checks or
bonds, and the fraudulent use of credit cards.  Internal Revenue
Service special agents collect evidence against individuals and
companies that are evading the payment of Federal taxes.

   Federal drug enforcement agents conduct criminal investigations of
illicit drug activity.  They compile evidence and arrest individuals
who violate Federal drug laws.  They may prepare reports that are
used in criminal proceedings, give testimony in court, and develop
evidence that justifies the seizure of financial assets gained from
illegal activity.

   State police officers (sometimes called State troopers or highway
patrol officers) patrol highways and enforce laws and regulations
that govern their use.  They issue traffic citations to motorists
who violate the law.  At the scene of an accident, they direct
traffic, give first aid, and call for emergency equipment including
ambulances.  They also write reports that may be used to determine
the cause of the accident.  In addition, State police officers
provide services to motorists on the highways.  For example, they
may radio for road service for drivers with mechanical trouble,
direct tourists to their destination, or give information about
lodging, restaurants, and tourist attractions.

   State police officers also provide traffic assistance and control
during road repairs, fires, and other emergencies, as well as during
special occurrences such as parades and sports events.  They
sometimes check the weight of commercial vehicles, conduct driver
examinations, and give information on highway safety to the public.

   In addition to highway responsibilities, State police in the
majority of States also enforce criminal laws.  In communities and
counties that do not have a local police force or a large sheriff's
department, the State police are the primary law enforcement agency,
investigating crimes such as burglary or assault.  They also may
help city or county police catch lawbreakers and control civil
disturbances.

   Most new police recruits begin on patrol duty, riding in a police
vehicle or walking on foot patrol.  They work alone or with
experienced officers in such varied areas as congested business
districts or outlying residential neighborhoods.  Officers attempt
to become thoroughly familiar with conditions throughout their area
and, while on patrol, remain alert for anything unusual.  They note
suspicious circumstances, such as open windows or lights in vacant
buildings, as well as hazards to public safety such as burned-out
street lights or fallen trees.  Officers enforce traffic regulations
and also watch for stolen vehicles.  At regular intervals, officers
report to police headquarters from call boxes, radios, or
telephones.

   Regardless of where they work, police, detectives, and special
agents must write reports and maintain police records.  They may be
called to testify in court when their arrests result in legal
action.  Some officers, such as division or bureau chiefs, are
responsible for training or certain kinds of criminal
investigations, and those who command police operations in an
assigned area have administrative and supervisory duties.

   Responsibilities of police officers range from controlling traffic
and preventing and investigating crimes.

Working Conditions

Police, detectives, and special agents usually work 40 hours a week,
but paid overtime work is common.  Because police protection must be
provided around the clock in all but the smallest communities, some
officers work weekends, holidays, and nights.  Police officers,
detectives, and special agents are subject to call any time their
services are needed and may work overtime, particularly during
criminal investigations.

   The jobs of some special agents such as U.S. Secret Service agents
require extensive travel.

   Police, detectives, and special agents may have to work outdoors for
long periods in all kinds of weather.  The injury rate among these
law officers is higher than in many occupations and reflects the
risks taken in pursuing speeding motorists, apprehending criminals,
and dealing with public disorders.  Police work can be very
dangerous, and this can be very stressful for the officer as well as
for his or her family.

Employment

Police, detectives, and special agents held about 700,000 jobs in
1992.  Most were employed by local governments, primarily in cities
with more than 25,000 inhabitants.  Some cities have very large
police forces, while hundreds of small communities employ fewer than
25 officers each.  State police agencies employed about 12 percent
of all police, detectives, and special agents; various Federal
agencies, particularly the Treasury Department and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, employed an additional 5 percent.  There
are about 17,000 State and local police departments in the Nation.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Civil service regulations govern the appointment of police and
detectives in practically all States and large cities and in many
small ones.  Candidates must be U.S.  citizens, usually at least 20
years of age, and must meet rigorous physical and personal
qualifications.  Eligibility for appointment depends on performance
in competitive written examinations as well as on education and
experience.  Physical examinations often include tests of vision,
strength, and agility.

   Because personal characteristics such as honesty, good judgment, and
a sense of responsibility are especially important in police and
detective work, candidates are interviewed by a senior officer at
police headquarters, and their character traits and background are
investigated.  In some police departments, candidates also may be
interviewed by a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or be given a
personality test.  Most applicants are subjected to lie detector
examinations and drug testing.  Some police departments subject
police officers in sensitive positions to drug testing as a
condition of continuing employment.  Although police and detectives
often work independently, they must perform their duties in
accordance with laws and departmental rules.  They should enjoy
working with people and serving the public.

   In large police departments, where most jobs are found, applicants
usually must have a high school education.  An increasing number of
cities and States require some college training, and some hire law
enforcement students as police interns; some departments require a
college degree.  A few police departments accept applicants as
recruits who have less than a high school education, particularly if
they have worked in a field related to law enforcement.

   To be considered for appointment as an FBI special agent, an
applicant either must be a graduate of an accredited law school; be
a college graduate with a major in either accounting, engineering,
or computer science; or be a college graduate with either fluency in
a foreign language or 3 years of full-time work experience.
Applicants must be U.S.  citizens, between 23 and 35 years of age at
the time of appointment, and willing to accept an assignment
anywhere in the United States.  They also must be in excellent
physical condition with at least 20/200 vision corrected to 20/40 in
one eye and 20/20 in the other eye.  All new agents undergo 15 weeks
of training at the FBI academy at the U.S.  Marine Corps base in
Quantico, Virginia.

   Applicants for special agent jobs with the U.S.  Department of
Treasury must have a bachelor's degree, or a minimum of 3 years'
work experience of which at least 2 are in criminal investigation.
Candidates must be in excellent physical condition and be less than
35 years of age at the time they enter duty.  Treasury agents
undergo 8 weeks of training at the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center in Glynco, Georgia, and another 8 weeks of specialized
training with their particular bureau.

   Applicants for special agent jobs with the U.S.  Drug Enforcement
Administration must have a college degree in any field and either 1
year of experience conducting criminal investigations or have
achieved a record of scholastic excellence while in college.  The
minimum age for entry is 21 and the maximum age is 36.  Drug
enforcement agents undergo 14 weeks of specialized training at the
FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

   More and more, police departments are encouraging applicants to take
post-high school training in law enforcement.  Many entrants to
police and detective jobs have completed some formal postsecondary
education and a significant number are college graduates.  Many
junior colleges, colleges, and universities offer programs in law
enforcement or administration of justice.  Other courses helpful in
preparing for a police career include psychology, counseling,
English, American history, public administration, public relations,
sociology, business law, chemistry, and physics.  Participation in
physical education and sports is especially helpful in developing
the stamina and agility needed for police work.  Knowledge of a
foreign language is an asset in areas that have concentrations of
ethnic populations.

   Some large cities hire high school graduates who are still in their
teens as civilian police cadets or trainees.  They do clerical work
and attend classes and are appointed to the regular force at age 21
if qualified.

   Before their first assignments, officers usually go through a period
of training.  In small communities, recruits work for a short time
with experienced officers.  In State and large city police
departments, they get more formal training that may last a number of
weeks or months.  This training includes classroom instruction in
constitutional law and civil rights, State laws and local
ordinances, and accident investigation.  Recruits also receive
training and supervised experience in patrol, traffic control, use
of firearms, self-defense, first aid, and handling emergencies.

   Police officers usually become eligible for promotion after a
probationary period ranging from 6 months to 3 years.  In a large
department, promotion may enable an officer to become a detective or
specialize in one type of police work such as laboratory analysis of
evidence, traffic control, communications, or working with
juveniles.  Promotions to sergeant, lieutenant, and captain usually
are made according to a candidate's position on a promotion list, as
determined by scores on a written examination and on-the-job
performance.

   Many types of training help police officers and detectives improve
their job performance.  Through training given at police department
academies required annually in many States and colleges, officers
keep abreast of crowd-control techniques, civil defense, legal
developments that affect their work, and advances in law enforcement
equipment.  Many police departments pay all or part of the tuition
for officers to work toward associate and bachelor's degrees in law
enforcement, police science, administration of justice, or public
administration, and pay higher salaries to those who earn a degree.

Job Outlook

Employment of police officers, detectives, and special agents is
expected to increase more slowly than the average for all
occupations through the year 2005.  A more security-conscious
society and growing concern about drug-related crimes should
contribute to the increasing demand for police services.  However,
employment growth will be tempered somewhat by continuing budgetary
constraints faced by law enforcement agencies.  In addition, private
security firms may increasingly assume some routine police duties
such as crowd surveillance at airports and other public places.
Although turnover in police, detective, and special agent jobs is
among the lowest of all occupations, the need to replace workers who
retire, transfer to other occupations, or stop working for other
reasons will be the source of most job openings.

   The opportunity for public service through police work is attractive
to many.  The job frequently is challenging and involves much
responsibility.  Furthermore, in many communities, police officers
may retire with a pension to pursue a second career while still in
their 40's.  Because of attractive salaries and benefits, the number
of qualified candidates generally exceeds the number of job openings
in many Federal agencies and some State and local police departments
resulting in increased hiring standards and selectivity by
employers.  Competition is expected to remain keen for higher paying
jobs in larger police departments.  Persons having college training
in law enforcement should have the best opportunities.
Opportunities will be best in those communities whose departments
are expanding and are having difficulty attracting an adequate
supply of police officers.  Competition is expected to be extremely
keen for special agent positions with the FBI, Treasury Department,
and Drug Enforcement Administration as these prestigious jobs tend
to attract a far greater number of applicants than the number of job
openings.  Consequently, only the most highly qualified candidates
will obtain jobs.

   The level of government spending influences the employment of police
officers, detectives, and special agents.  The number of job
opportunities, therefore, can vary from year to year and from place
to place.  Layoffs, on the other hand, are rare because early
retirements enable most staffing cuts to be handled through
attrition.  Police officers who lose their jobs from budget cuts
usually have little difficulty finding jobs with other police
departments.

Earnings

In 1992, the median salary of nonsupervisory police officers and
detectives was about $32,000 a year.  The middle 50 percent earned
between about $24,500 and $41,200; the lowest paid 10 percent were
paid less than $18,400, while the highest paid 10 percent earned
over $51,200 a year.  Generally, salaries tend to be higher in
larger, more urban jurisdictions that usually have bigger police
departments.

   Police officers and detectives in supervisory positions had a median
salary of about $38,100 a year, also in 1992.  The middle 50 percent
earned between about $28,300 and $49,800; the lowest paid 10 percent
were paid less than $23,200, while the highest paid 10 percent
earned over $58,400 annually.

   Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law enforcement officers had a median
annual salary of about $25,800 in 1992.  The middle 50 percent
earned between about $20,500 and $30,900; the lowest paid 10 percent
were paid less than $15,600, while the highest paid 10 percent
earned over $38,800.

   In 1993, FBI agents started at about $30,600 a year, while Treasury
Department agents started at about $18,300 or $22,700 a year, and
DEA agents at either $22,700 or $27,800 a year, depending on their
qualifications.  Salaries of experienced FBI agents started at
around $47,900, while supervisory agents started at around $56,600 a
year.  Salaries of experienced Treasury Department and DEA agents
started at $40,200, while supervisory agents started at $47,900.
Federal agents may, however, be eligible for a special law
enforcement compensation and retirement plan; applicants should ask
their recruiter for more information.

   Total earnings frequently exceed the stated salary due to payments
for overtime, which can be significant, especially during criminal
investigations or when police are needed for crowd control during
sporting events or political rallies.  In addition to the common
fringe benefits paid vacation, sick leave, and medical and life
insurance most police departments and Federal agencies provide
officers with special allowances for uniforms and furnish revolvers,
nightsticks, handcuffs, and other required equipment.  In addition,
because police officers generally are covered by liberal pension
plans, many retire at half-pay after 20 or 25 years of service.

Related Occupations

Police officers maintain law and order in the Nation's cities,
towns, and rural areas.  Workers in related law enforcement
occupations include guards, bailiffs, correction officers, deputy
sheriffs, fire marshals, fish and game wardens, and U.S.  marshals.

Sources of Additional Information

   Information about entrance requirements may be obtained from
Federal, State, and local civil service commissions or police
departments.

   Contact any Office of Personnel Management Job Information Center
for pamphlets providing general information and instructions for
submitting an application for jobs as Treasury special agents, drug
enforcement agents, FBI special agents, or U.S.  marshals.  Look
under U.S.  Government, Office of Personnel Management, in your
telephone directory to obtain a local telephone number.

   Information about law enforcement careers in general may be obtained
from:

   International Union of Police Associations, 1016 Duke St.,
Alexandria, VA 22314.


Food and Beverage Preparation and Service Occupations

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This is a section of the 1994-95 OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK produced by the
US Dept. of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. These files are in the public
domain and may be freely reproduced. Source CD-ROM SuDoc: L 2.3/4-4:994-95
Extraction software by Raleigh Muns, University of Missouri-St. Louis
Local Filename: OOHB0176.TXT
.
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