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First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
Other titles employers use
Captain · Deputy Sheriff · Detective Sergeant · Lieutenant · Patrol Sergeant · Police Captain · Police Chief · Police Lieutenant
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.
- Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.
- Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.
- Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.
- Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.
- Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
Subjects to know
- Public Safety and Security
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 4.2 | Arm’s length or closer, most of the day |
| On your feet | 2.8 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 5.0 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 3.2 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 56%
- A certificate or some college 21%
- A four-year degree 19%
- A two-year degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Presentation software
- Process mapping and design software
- Word processing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 12,880
- Job openings each year
- 220
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 20.5%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 12,880 | 220 | 20.5% |
| Florida | 9,240 | 640 | 7.2% |
| California | 8,800 | 590 | 3.5% |
| Georgia | 8,260 | 580 | 8.4% |
| Maryland | 8,200 | 580 | 8.8% |
| Illinois | 7,510 | 500 | 3.2% |
| Texas | 7,350 | 530 | 10.5% |
| North Carolina | 5,410 | 390 | 11.5% |
| Tennessee | 5,350 | 390 | 13.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 4,690 | 320 | 3.5% |
| Ohio | 3,720 | 250 | 2.2% |
| Missouri | 3,630 | 240 | 3.7% |
| Virginia | 3,550 | 240 | 4.7% |
| Louisiana | 3,230 | 220 | 4.9% |
| Washington | 3,010 | 250 | 12.7% |
| Massachusetts | 2,950 | 200 | 6.1% |
| Minnesota | 2,790 | 190 | 4.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 2,740 | 190 | 5.0% |
| Colorado | 2,610 | 190 | 14.5% |
| Michigan | 2,610 | 170 | −2.2% |
| Kansas | 2,310 | 160 | 5.5% |
| Arizona | 2,050 | 140 | 2.5% |
| Kentucky | 2,030 | 140 | 4.1% |
| Oklahoma | 1,890 | 130 | 9.9% |
| Arkansas | 1,820 | 120 | 4.6% |
| Connecticut | 1,750 | 120 | 10.1% |
| District of Columbia | 1,550 | 100 | 2.0% |
| Mississippi | 1,550 | 110 | 6.2% |
| South Carolina | 1,550 | 110 | 9.9% |
| Wisconsin | 1,500 | 100 | 1.4% |
| Nevada | 1,440 | 100 | 6.7% |
| Utah | 1,440 | 110 | 19.0% |
| Oregon | 1,430 | 100 | 12.6% |
| Indiana | 1,340 | 90 | 3.1% |
| Alabama | 1,300 | 90 | 4.8% |
| Iowa | 1,300 | 90 | 7.4% |
| New Mexico | 1,170 | 80 | 9.3% |
| Rhode Island | 840 | 60 | 2.4% |
| Idaho | 750 | 50 | 2.7% |
| New Hampshire | 720 | 50 | 7.5% |
| Nebraska | 620 | 40 | 5.1% |
| Maine | 460 | 30 | — |
| Delaware | 400 | 30 | 2.6% |
| Wyoming | 400 | 30 | 8.1% |
| Montana | 380 | 30 | 11.8% |
| West Virginia | 330 | 20 | 3.1% |
| Alaska | 280 | 20 | — |
| North Dakota | 230 | 20 | — |
| South Dakota | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Vermont | 220 | 20 | 4.8% |
| Guam | 50 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
- Degrees each year
- 1,572
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
Sam Houston State University
- Degrees each year
- 922
- Admit rate
- 85%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Southern New Hampshire University
- Degrees each year
- 895
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $37,000
Liberty University
- Degrees each year
- 586
- Admit rate
- 99%
- Annual cost after aid
- $27,000
Florida State University
- Degrees each year
- 599
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Florida International University
- Degrees each year
- 598
- Admit rate
- 59%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
California State University-Sacramento
- Degrees each year
- 539
- Admit rate
- 94%
- Annual cost after aid
- $9,000
University of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 531
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Compare every college offering criminal justice and corrections