Police Officer Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

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6 min read

Your job description is the first touchpoint between your company and your new hire. With millions of people searching for jobs on Indeed each month, a great job description can help you attract the most qualified candidates to your open position. To get you started, here are some tips for creating an effective job description.

Police Officer job title

A great job title typically includes a general term, level of experience and any special requirements. The general term will optimise your job title to show up in a general search for jobs of the same nature. The level of experience will help you attract the most qualified applicants by outlining the amount of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if your position is specialised, consider including the specialisation in the job title as well. But avoid using internal titles, abbreviations or acronyms to make sure people understand what your job posting is before clicking.

  • Police Officer
  • State Police Officer
  • Sheriff
  • Sheriff Deputy
  • Detective

Hire your next Police Officer today.

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Hire your next Police Officer today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

Police Officer job summary

A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role within your company. Your summary should provide an overview of your company and expectations for the position. Outline the types of activities and responsibilities required for the job so job seekers can determine if they are qualified, or if the job is a good fit.

Example of a Police Officer job summary

As a police officer, you are a public sector employee responsible for maintaining peace and law and order in the community you serve. You are tasked with enforcing local, state and national laws and statutes as well as enforcing court orders and other citations. As a police officer, you will work by vehicle, foot, bicycle or residential patrol. You will act as a first responder securing victims until paramedics can arrive. You will also be responsible for responding to and solving emergency and non-emergency calls from the community. We also like police officers to engage with the community in an educational capacity so people can understand the services and protections we provide.

Police Officer responsibilities and duties

The responsibilities and duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you should outline the functions this position will perform on a regular basis, how the job functions within the organisation and who the employee reports to.

  • Fulfils court orders issuing and executing warrants
  • Responds to calls and solve complaints and apprehend suspects as needed
  • Help in minimising injury and harm to victims by operating in a first responder role
  • Conducts investigations, apprehends suspects and aids in their prosecution by working with the crown prosecutor’s office
  • Helps maintain law and order by ensuring citizens adhere to local, state and national laws and statutes
  • If needed, direct traffic and issue citations related to traffic violations

Police Officer qualifications and skills

Next, outline the required and preferred skills for your position. This may include education, previous job experience, certifications and technical skills. You may also include soft skills and personality traits that you envision for a successful hire. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many could dissuade qualified candidates from applying. Keep your list of qualifications concise, but provide enough detail with relevant keywords and terms.

  • Understanding of local, state and national laws
  • Ability to work in difficult and high-pressure situations
  • Ability to communicate with people from all walks of life
  • Good oral and written communication skills
  • Ability to remain calm and poised in challenging situations
  • Good interpersonal skills

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Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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