Police or Detective

Overview: Police or Detectives are two of the most important jobs in any community. There are many qualifications and, don't forget you are putting your life on the line.  This can be a very active job. Do not forget though that a cop is putting his/her life on the line. Like I've said before the cops have a risky job, here is a layout of what the nature of work is. People in the jurisdiction you have will depend on you to be there whether it is when someone gets in an accident, when someone is witnessing a robbery, or when someone is getting assaulted. I hope that this was a good way to introduce you to the police and detective jobs. Good luck if you want to take this path and BE CAREFUL!
Schooling and requirements: To be a police officer you must be a US citizen. There are also age requirements that vary from town to town. To work as a cop or Detective for the Federal Government you need to be 21 and be a United States citizen. Before getting assignments and going out on the street you will need to stay at Police Academy for 11 to 14 weeks. Most Police Officers have at least Associate Degrees.
Salary: Cops and Detectives can earn anywhere from $28,000 to $69,500.  When first entering the police force or detective job you will probably earn a base of about $28,200. When you have enough years on the job and get promoted to a Chief then you could be making $69,500.
Job Opportunities: Some police will help keep a school in line and make sure no one gets hurt. Some police or detectives will specialize in something like fingerprinting identification, or in chemical and guns instruction. Some cops get around by different transportation than a car. Below on figure A you can see one version of a cop car. In figure B there is a cop riding on a horse; also another option. Here are some different modes of transportation taken by the police: horses, motorcycle or bicycle, walking (foot patrol), helicopters. Some use canine patrol (dogs) as part of their job.. There are probably state cops around your state, sometimes referred to as State Troopers or Highway Patrol.
 

Figure A	Figure B

 If you are interested in this career you may want to:

• learn about gun safety and visit a police station to learn about daily tasks
• try and patrol or resolve conflicts between peers
• join a student counsel
• visit the official site of NYPD: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/home.html

and visit the DARE website for additional information.

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