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Alabama Department of Labor

Labor Market Information Division
SOC: 33-3051 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Maintain order, enforce laws and ordinances, and protect life and property in an assigned patrol district. Perform combination of following duties: patrol a specific area on foot or in a vehicle; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts.
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Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
OJT: Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Tasks: Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts. Provide for public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations. Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities. Render aid to accident victims and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries. Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
License: Applicants should contact the area local law enforcement division employer for specific city, county, or state procedures, forms, and fees.
Outlook: Satisfactory
Alabama Employment Outlook
Alabama Wage Data
Hourly Wage   Annual Wage
Entry $15.67   Entry $32,583.00
Mean $22.17   Mean $46,107.00
Experience $25.42 Experience $52,875.00

The data is based on the May 2017 Occupation Employment Survey employment and wage estimate file. The wages have been aged using the most current ECI factors reflecting wages as of June 2018.

Alabama Projections
Estimated Employment 2016Projected Employment 2026Annual Average OpeningsAnnual Growth Rate
10,69011,210745.47
Related Occupations: Postsecondary Institutions With Programs:
Correctional Officers and Jailers
Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
Emergency Management Directors
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Forest Firefighters
Municipal Fire Fighting and Prevention Supervisors
Municipal Firefighters
Police Detectives
Police Patrol Officers
Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs
Ship and Boat Captains
Chattahoochee Valley Community College
Columbia Southern University
George C Wallace State Community College-Dothan
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
George C Wallace State Community College-Selma
Jefferson State Community College
John C Calhoun State Community College
Lawson State Community College-Birmingham Campus
Northeast Alabama Community College
Northwest-Shoals Community College
South University-Montgomery
Strayer University-Alabama
Occupational Videos
33-3051.00 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers