Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers

7.2/10 job score
AUTOMATION RISK
5%
risk level
POLLING
GROWTH
3.1%
by 2031
WAGES
$64,610
or $31.06 hourly
VOLUME
665,380
as of 2021

What is the risk of automation?

We calculate this occupation to have an automation risk score of 5% (Totally Safe)

More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated
Qualities required for this occupation:
Assisting and Caring for Others
Social Perceptiveness
Persuasion
Negotiation
Originality
Key
very important
quite important
[Show all metrics]

What do you think the risk of automation is?

How likely do you think this occupation will be taken over by robots/AI within the next 20 years?





How quickly is this occupation growing?

The number of 'Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers' job openings is expected to rise 3.1% by 2031
'Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers' is expected to be a slow growing occupation in comparison to other occupations.
* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the period between 2021 and 2031.
Updated projections are due Sep 2023.

What are the median wages for 'Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers' in the United States?

In 2021 the median annual wage for 'Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers' was $64,610, or $31.06 hourly
'Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers' are paid 41.2% higher than the national median wage, which stands at $45,760
* Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

How many people are employed as police and sheriff's patrol officers?

As of 2021 there were 665,380 people employed as Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers within the United States.
This represents around 0.47% of the employed workforce across the country.
Put another way, around 1 in 211 people are employed as Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers.

Job description

Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.

SOC Code: 33-3051.00

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Comments

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Martin says
Partially replaced for sure. There will likely always be some people, but you can replace a lot of the monotonous work with machines. Cameras and sensors can spot speeders and light runners. The new Boston Dynamics robots can do backhand springs. One cop could send a host of A.I. swarm bots to a crack house and handle it like a video game. Quadcopters, mechanical mice with cameras and microphones, armed dog bots, humanoid arrest bots, and self-driving cars.
Aug 28, 2021 at 08:28 PM
Will says
Over a year and NOBODY made a "Robocop" reference? The internet has disappointed me once again.
Jul 20, 2021 at 08:16 AM
Steve W. says
Imagine a cop that doesn't get emotional, doesn't have an ego, doesn't care about politics, and never uses the excuse, "I was afraid for my life."

Yes, we need AI-controlled robotic cops immediately. Many lives will be saved.
May 12, 2021 at 04:35 AM
Angel Vollant (No chance) says
No chance. Policing requires critical thinking, logic, situational assessment and decision-making which can’t fit into a program. When a police officer sees someone committing a crime, it’s up to them to decide what to do. If a man’s smoking pot alone in the park, do they deserve to be arrested? The cop will go up to them, talk a bit, leave a warning and may or may not leave a ticket depending on how the man acts. If he’s polite and cooperative, the officer will probably let him off with a warning. If he’s erratic and violent, he’ll arrest him. A robot, however, won’t think that far. Sees someone committing a crime (smoking pot) and simply arrest him. If he doesn’t comply, use violence. They’re programmed to do what the programmer put into it. If someone has a knife, take them out. Simple as that. Doesn’t matter if it’s a woman defending herself against an abuser. The robot’ll see a knife and shoot her. Robocop explained it very well. Police officers need compassion and emotions. If you could program a robot to do that, you’ve got yourself a human.
Dec 09, 2020 at 07:32 PM
mister sir says
I think it's good that they have a low chance of being replaced by robots because although humans can be biased, humans make better decisions and can pick up on clues or emotions better.
Nov 05, 2020 at 01:08 PM
My name isn't your bidness. (Could go either way) says
There is a lot of talk about things like the androids from D:BH so I think it could go either way if artificial intelligence is improved.
Oct 09, 2020 at 08:36 AM
Khan (Small chance) says
Competent police officers require human communication skills and human coordination (for the later see the old “robots struggle to walk up stairs” problem)
Apr 06, 2020 at 03:01 PM
frankie (Small chance) says
as police need to have good decision making skills as robots do not
Mar 10, 2020 at 02:35 PM
Anonomous (Small chance) says
THAT IS CRAZY HOW WOULD THEY GET COPS REPLACED!??!!?
Feb 20, 2020 at 06:05 PM
Meep (Could go either way) says
Because if you only go up to 20 years from now it may change past then.
Jan 06, 2020 at 04:15 PM
Lachlan Beck (No chance) says
Because Robots lack the feeling of emotions and aren't able to be empathetic to other humans or robots therefore they lack a key skill of being an officer
Sep 03, 2019 at 11:42 PM
Hope Pringle says
Yeah, I want to see a person behind the badge, not some dumb robot who can feel for the victims or people in general! I want to be a police officer when I grow up NO robot will take my job. I will not let that happen!
Aug 15, 2019 at 02:27 AM
Ben says
A computer has the capacity to think thousands of times faster than a human. When AI and robotics reach the level of performing the job... People can't compete. Almost perfect job performance...or a human... You choose. Computers aren't stressed out, they have no bias... They are, in every way capable of being better at the job...
Aug 25, 2019 at 03:58 PM
MArc (No chance) says
When on a traffic stop or responding to a domestic dispute or whatever, people want to see a real human being, not some dumb robot that has no emotion. Us humans want the ability to communicate with each other not some robot.
May 06, 2019 at 04:30 PM

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