Police Patrol Officers Go Back to List Patrol assigned area to enforce laws and ordinances, regulate traffic, control crowds, prevent crime, and arrest violators.

Tasks
	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.
	Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
	Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
	Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
	Render aid to accident victims and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
	Testify in court to present evidence or act as witness in traffic and criminal cases.
	Evaluate complaint and emergency-request information to determine response requirements.
	Patrol specific area on foot, horseback, or motorized conveyance, responding promptly to calls for assistance.
	Monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
	Investigate traffic accidents and other accidents to determine causes and to determine if a crime has been committed.

Skills
	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
	Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Knowledge
	Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
	Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
	English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
	Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
	Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
	Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
	Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
	Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
	Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
	Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

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Education & Training   Education:   Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.   Related Experience:   Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

View Related Programs on Connecticut's Education & Training ConneCTion site.

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Wage Information
	Region Average Entry Level  Mid-Range  Annual  Hourly  Statewide $80,774.00 $38.84  $30.09  $32.83 - $42.39  Bridgeport/Stamford $83,282.00 $40.04  $31.22  $37.18 - $45.64  Danbury $81,923.00 $39.38  $33.13  $40.26 - $41.53  Hartford $80,167.00 $38.54  $30.24  $32.17 - $40.96  New Haven $80,126.00 $38.53  $28.86  $31.36 - $41.72  New London/Norwich $78,934.00 $37.95  $29.87  $32.47 - $40.66  Waterbury $76,384.00 $36.72  $28.56  $31.97 - $39.37  Torrington $81,098.00 $38.99  $29.81  $31.80 - $46.29

Occupation Outlook ( 2016 - 2026 ) Average Annual Job Openings:   505   Employment in this occupation is expected to grow about as fast as average, and the number of annual openings will offer very good job opportunities.

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	Transit and Railroad Police
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	First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
	Correctional Officers and Jailers
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	Criminal Investigators and Special Agents
	Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics

	Some of the occupational information on this page is formulated from O*NETTM v17.0 data. O*NETTM is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.