Law Enforcement/Basic Law Enforcement Officer Education

 

Career and Major Information
Earnings
Related Occupations
Related Web Sites

 

Career and Major Information:

Walters State's Associate of Applied Science in Public Safety Law Enforcement and Technical Certificate in  Basic Law Enforcement Officer Education programs are designed to prepare successful graduates for employment opportunities in law enforcement.  The duty of a law enforcement officer is to keep the peace and protect life and property.  This may include everything from directing traffic or patrolling an area to arresting dangerous criminals.  It also involves the prevention of criminal activities, investigation of crimes, assistance in the prosecution of offenders, and the education of the public.  Some police officers specialize in such diverse fields as chemical and microscopic analysis, training and firearms instruction, or handwriting and fingerprint identification. Others work with special units such as horseback, bicycle, motorcycle or harbor patrol, canine corps, special weapons and tactics (SWAT), or emergency response teams. A few local and special law enforcement officers primarily perform jail-related duties or work in courts. Regardless of job duties or location, police officers and detectives at all levels must write reports and maintain meticulous records that will be needed if they testify in court.

Jobs may be found at all levels of government and the military as well as in various educational settings or commercial industry.  For more information about a specific level or division of law enforcement, please see the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

The minimum educational requirement is usually a high school diploma, but preference is often given to candidates with postsecondary education.  Some specific jobs in law enforcement require a bachelors degree or beyond.  Faster than average growth is expected through 2012 due largely to growing security concerns and the constant need to parallel a growing population.

 

Earnings:

The Tennessee Career Information Delivery System website lists the salary range for a beginning-level position in this field in Tennessee as $23,490 to $26,710 annually.  With experience, the range increases to $27,990 to $44,655.  The national average is higher by about $1,500 to $2,000 per year.  Salary figures quoted are based on national figures. Local or regional salaries may be lower.

 

Related Occupations:

Correctional Officer

Private Detective and Investigator

Security Guard

Gaming Surveillance Officer

Federal Agent

Private Security Agent

 

Related Web Sites:

National Sheriffs’ Association

            http://www.sheriffs.org/

Fraternal Order of Police

            http://www.grandlodgefop.org/

Federal Bureau of Investigation

            http://www.fbi.gov

Secret Service Personnel Division

            http://www.treas.gov/usss

Drug Enforcement Administration

            http://www.usdoj.gov/dea

U.S. Marshals Service

            http://www.usdoj.gov/marshals

U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

            http://www.atf.treas.gov

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

            http://www.cbp.gov

 

 

Much of the above information was collected from the 2004-2005 Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor.  For additional information on these and many other careers, please visit the following web sites:

 

Occupational Outlook Handbook - U.S. Department of Labor

www.bls.gov/oco/

 

Tennessee Career Information Delivery System (TCIDS)

http://tcids.tbr.edu/.

 

 

For information regarding specific degree program requirements, curriculum, or faculty, please see the department website at http://www.ws.edu/publicsafety/default.asp.