We surveyed 5,651 police officers to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical police officer. Here are the results.
How much intelligence is required as a police officer?
Low
High
Working as a police officer typically doesn’t require the use of high levels of intelligence in daily tasks.
Can I learn to become a police officer?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a police officer typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a police officer?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a police officer. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for police officers.
Do police officers work full-time or part-time?
91% of police officers work in full-time roles while 9% work part-time.
Is being a police officer stressful?
Low
High
Stress is very commonplace for police officers, contributing negatively towards career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a police officer?
Low
High
Organization is considered a very important trait for police officers, and is critical to success in the field.
How competitive is the workplace for police officers?
Low
High
Police officers see mild competition in their workplace.
Does being a police officer require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Police officers will see frequent time pressure on the job, likely contributing to an occasionally stressful work environment.
Are police officers allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Police officers rarely get a chance to express themselves creatively.
Do police officers have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Police officers tend to have a set and inflexible work schedule that they are unable to deviate from too much.
Is being a police officer physically demanding?
Low
High
Being a police officer may occasionally require demanding physical activity, which may make it not a suitable career choice for everyone.
Are police officers exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
The workload of a police officer changes frequently, with their day-to-day rarely being the same.
Does being a police officer require attention to detail?
Low
High
Attention to detail is a vital skill for police officers, as small mistakes can make or break one's ability to succeed in the career.
Does being a good police officer require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Strong compassion and empathy are critical to success as a police officer.