Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security In demand
Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

What a police and sheriff’s patrol officer does

Become a police and sheriff’s patrol officer

If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good police and sheriff’s patrol officer

  • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
  • Talking to others.
  • Understanding people's reactions.
  • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
  • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

Discover what you could earn in Washington

  • Average hourly rate is $44 per hour with an average salary of $92,200 per year.
  • Half of workers earn between $39 and $49 per hour.
  • Half of workers earn an annual salary between $80,300 and $102,800 per year.

Police And Sheriff’s Patrol Officer job outlook

  • There are 8,960 workers in this occupation in Washington.
  • There are 1,029 openings per year in this occupation in Washington.

Growth rate by year

Education needed

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Programs to get you there

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