Police officer

What does a police officer do?

• Patrol neighbourhoods on foot or in vehicles and respond to emergency calls.
• Investigate crimes, collect evidence and interview victims, witnesses and suspects.
• Arrest suspects while respecting legal rules and people's rights.
• Write detailed reports and prepare case files for prosecutors.
• Give evidence in court as a witness.
• Work with local communities, schools and other services to prevent crime.
• Manage traffic, road accidents and public events.

Where do they work?

Police officers work for national, regional or local police forces, and some work for specialist agencies that deal with borders, transport or financial crime. Most officers work shifts that cover nights, weekends and public holidays. The job mixes time on patrol with time at the station writing reports. It can be physically dangerous and emotionally demanding, because officers often deal with violence, accidents and people in crisis.

What skills do you need?

• Calm communication in tense situations
• Sound judgement under pressure
• Physical fitness
• Observation and attention to detail
• Report writing
• Knowledge of criminal law and procedure
• Integrity and fairness
• Teamwork and resilience

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• comply with legal regulations
• patrol areas
• instruct public
• apply first response
• identify security threats
• handle evidence
• comply with the principles of self-defence
• ensure compliance with types of weapons
• ensure law application
• detain offenders
• use different communication channels

Essential knowledge: road traffic laws · law enforcement · first response · legal use-of-force

How do you become a police officer?

Most police forces recruit school leavers and graduates through a selection process that includes written tests, interviews, fitness and medical checks, and background and security checks. Many forces also set a minimum age and require citizenship or permanent residency. If you are selected, you train at a police academy or college for anything from several months to three years, and then complete a probation period on the job. Graduates may be able to join fast-track or detective programmes, and career changers are welcome in most forces as long as they meet the entry rules.

1. Direct entry after school. Many forces accept applicants with a school-leaving qualification. You train at a police academy, learning law, procedures, self-defence, first aid and driving, and then work under supervision during a probation period. In the United States, for example, academy training usually lasts several months and is followed by field training with an experienced officer.
2. Degree-level police education. In several countries, including Norway and Finland, basic police training is a bachelor's degree at a police university college. England and Wales offer a police degree apprenticeship alongside other entry routes. A degree in criminology, law, psychology or sociology does not replace police training, but it can help you in selection and later promotion.
3. Graduate and specialist entry. Some forces run schemes that let graduates join as detectives or move faster into leadership. In countries with officer-rank entry, such as France and India, graduates can sit competitive national exams for senior posts. Forces also recruit specialists in areas such as cybercrime, forensics and financial investigation, sometimes as civilian staff rather than sworn officers.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Criminology

  A criminology degree studies crime, why people commit it and how societies respond through policing, courts, prisons and prevention.

  5 linked careers

• Law

  A law degree teaches how legal systems work and how to find, interpret and apply the law, from contracts and crime to human rights.

  6 linked careers

• Psychology

  A psychology degree is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour: how people think, feel, learn, develop and relate to each other.

  6 linked careers

• Sociology

  A sociology degree studies how societies work: how groups, institutions and cultures shape people's lives, and why inequality, crime, migration and social change happen.

  6 linked careers

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Do you need a licence to work as a police officer?

In most countries, policing is controlled by the state rather than by a professional licence. Officers are sworn in and must meet national or regional training standards. In the United States, state boards set training standards and certify officers. Rules on age, nationality, health, eyesight and criminal records differ between countries and forces, so check the requirements of the force you want to join.

How much does a police officer earn?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate pay estimate that matches this occupation, so we do not show one.

Earnings of Service and sales workers around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 5, "Service and sales workers". The table covers the whole group, which includes police officer and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Student or probationary officer
2. Police officer or constable
3. Sergeant or detective
4. Inspector
5. Senior officer or chief of police

Job outlook

Every country needs police, so demand is steady, but recruitment depends on government budgets and political priorities. Forces in several countries have reported difficulty recruiting and keeping officers because of stress, shift work and public criticism. Crime is also changing, with more online fraud and cybercrime, so digital and investigation skills are increasingly valued. Body cameras, data systems and AI tools are changing police work and raising new questions about privacy and fairness.

Questions about becoming a police officer

Do you need a degree to become a police officer?

In most countries, no. Many forces accept school leavers and train them at a police academy. Some countries, such as Norway and Finland, train all new officers through a bachelor's degree, and some forces in the United States and elsewhere prefer or reward degrees. A degree can also help with promotion and with specialist roles, such as detective or cybercrime work.

How long does police training take?

It varies widely. Academy training in the United States usually takes several months, followed by field training with an experienced officer. In some European countries, police education is a three-year degree. Almost everywhere, new officers then serve a probation period of a year or more before they are fully confirmed in the role.

What are the requirements to join the police?

Common requirements include a minimum age, a school-leaving qualification, good health and eyesight, and passing a fitness test. You usually need citizenship or permanent residency and no serious criminal convictions, and many forces ask for a driving licence. Selection normally includes written tests, interviews and background checks. Exact rules vary by country and force, so check official recruitment pages.

Is criminology a good degree for becoming a police officer?

Criminology can be useful because it covers why crime happens, how the justice system works and how policing is studied. It may help you in selection and later in investigation or policy roles. However, police forces do not usually require a specific subject, and law, psychology, sociology and many other degrees are equally accepted. Your fitness, judgement and communication skills matter more.

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Sources

1. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
2. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 5412.1

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a police officer: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/police-officer/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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