Police and Detective Supervisors

Career summary

Police and detective supervisors hold different ranks including:

• Police officer
• Sergeant
• Lieutenant
• Chief

Supervisors may manage a division within police departments, such as a drug, dispatch, or traffic division, or they may manage the entire department as the police chief. Regardless of rank or department, police and detective supervisors work together as a management team and have similar responsibilities.

Supervisors make sure the officers or detectives have the information and tools they need to do their job. They train staff in the proper procedures and methods. They keep them informed of changes in the law.

Supervisors plan and coordinate the activities of the division they manage. They assign tasks to staff. They make decisions about:

• How an investigation will operate
• What evidence will be collected
• Who to interview

Police and detective supervisors handle personnel complaints. They may solve disputes between coworkers or they may respond to complaints from the public. They conduct investigations if there are allegations of police misconduct.

Police and detective supervisors keep employment records for the officers they supervise. They monitor worker performance, conduct annual reviews, and make recommendations for promotions. They may need to demote or discipline officers. Some interview and hire new employees.

Supervisors work with the media and act as a public relations person for the department. Some give presentations to civic groups and schools.

Related careers

This career is part of the Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Blue-Collar Worker Supervisors
• Border Patrol Agents
• Compliance Officers and Inspectors
• Corrections Officers
• Detectives and Investigators
• Emergency Management Directors
• Fire Investigators
• Police Patrol Officers
• Probation Officers
• Sheriffs

Military careers

• Law Enforcement and Security Officers
• Law Enforcement and Security Specialists

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to police and detective supervisors.

• Train staff in proper police work procedures. Keep staff updated on changes in procedures, laws, and techniques.
• Plan and coordinate criminal investigations including raids, evidence handling, and questioning of witnesses.
• Investigate and resolve personnel problems and officer misconduct complaints.
• Manage or supervise the handling and storage of department records.
• Monitor and evaluate the performance of the police and detectives who they supervise.
• Promote, transfer, or discipline staff when required.
• Prepare work schedules. Assign shifts and duties to employees.
• Cooperate with courts and other law enforcement agencies. Testify in court as necessary.
• Review written orders to ensure they follow legal requirements.
• Direct the release or transfer of prisoners.
• Inspect facility, supplies, vehicles, and equipment. Make sure they conform to standards. Order new equipment and supplies when needed.
• Prepare budgets and track costs of their department.
• Write news releases, speak to media, and respond to letters from the public.
• Work with community groups to develop programs and events about law enforcement.

Common work activities

Police and detective supervisors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Make decisions and solve problems
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Perform for or work with the public
• Get information needed to do the job
• Document and record information
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
• Guide, direct, and motivate others
• Communicate with people outside the organization
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Use computers
• Process information
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Update and use job-related knowledge
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Perform administrative tasks
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Assist and care for others
• Coach others
• Teach others
• Schedule work and activities
• Evaluate information against standards
• Operate vehicles or mechanized equipment
• Develop and build teams
• Explain the meaning of information to others
• Analyze data or information
• Provide advice and consultation to others
• Judge the value of objects, services, or people
• Develop goals and strategies
• Think creatively
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Monitor and control resources
• Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
• Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
• Recruit, interview, or hire others
• Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, police and detective supervisors:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They constantly work with police, media, and the public.
• Are extremely responsible for the health and safety of the people they supervise.
• Are extremely responsible for the work outcomes of subordinates.
• Deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous people constantly.
• Often deal with people who are physically aggressive or violent.
• Must work as part of a team. This is extremely important because they build teams and coordinate their work.
• Communicate with people daily by telephone, e-mail, and in person.
• Write letters and memos, but less often.
• Speak to groups of people on a monthly basis.

Physical work conditions

• Mostly work indoors.
• Work part of the day outdoors, where they are exposed to hot or cold weather.
• Are often exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable.
• Are exposed to extremely bright or inadequate lighting on a regular basis.
• Are often exposed to hazardous equipment and conditions daily.
• Wear protective clothing, such as body armor, often.
• Are exposed to contaminants and diseases weekly.
• Work near other people, but have a few feet of space separating self from others.

Work performance

• Are highly accurate in performing their job. This is extremely important. Errors could result in injuries, deaths, or escaped criminals.
• Repeat the same tasks and physical activities. This is important when working at the computer.
• Make decisions daily that have major impacts on the image of the department and on subordinates.
• Rarely consult a supervisor before making a decision or setting tasks and goals.
• Work in a moderately competitive environment.
• Meet strict deadlines weekly.

Hours/travel

• Work a regular 40-hour schedule.

Physical demands

Police and detective supervisors frequently:

• Sit for long periods of time.
• Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

It is important for police and detective supervisors to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Understand the speech of another person.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for police and detective supervisors to be able to:

• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
• Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Determine the distance between objects.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Use muscles to jump, sprint, or throw objects.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Adjust body movements or equipment controls to keep pace with speed changes of moving objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• See objects in very bright or glaring light.
• Determine from which direction a sound came.
• See objects in very low light.
• While looking forward, see objects or movements that are off to the side.
• Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Move arms and legs quickly.

Skills and abilities

Police and detective supervisors need to:

Communicate

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand spoken information.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.
• Read and understand work-related materials.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
• Recognize the nature of a problem.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
• Think of new ideas about a topic.
• Develop rules that group items in various ways.
• Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
• Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
• Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
• Persuade others to approach things differently.
• Look for ways to help people.
• Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.

Perceive and visualize

• Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
• Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

• Criminal Justice
• Homeland Security
• Law Enforcement and Police Science

Other programs of study to consider

• Corrections
• Emergency Management

Training

To work as a police and detective supervisor, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent;
• be an experienced police officer; and
• complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

Some supervisor positions require a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, public administration, or related field. Many universities and technical colleges offer bachelor's degree programs in criminal justice. In these programs, you learn about criminology, criminal procedure, and justice. You also learn important communication and management skills.

Work experience

This is not an entry-level occupation. Police and detective supervisors must have experience as officers. Many positions require one to five years of experience in law enforcement.

On-the-job training

Each police department operates differently. Supervisors who are new to a department often receive training in department operations. On-the-job training can take up to one year.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to be law enforcement and security officers. You need a bachelor's degree to enter this military occupation. Training lasts from seven to 28 weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Community Protection
• Criminal Justice Assisting
• Criminology
• Legal System
• Physical Education
• Psychology
• Sociology

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers require police and detective supervisors to be experienced police officers. They often promote officers within their own departments.

Employers look for applicants who are honest, have good judgment, and are mature. Employers prefer applicants who like to work with the public.

Some employers require police and detective supervisors to have a bachelor's degree. They look for applicants with strong communication and management skills who work well on a team.

Costs to workers

Workers may wish to join a professional association, which may have annual dues.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. The supervisor's duties and level of experience also affect wages.

Full-time supervisors usually receive benefits. These typically include paid vacation, sick leave, and health and life insurance. In addition, most employers provide retirement plans.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies

National outlook

Demand for this occupation is growing about as fast as average. A continued desire for public safety is expected to result in a need for more officers, demand for employment is expected to vary depending on location, driven largely by local and state budgets.

Job opportunities will occur as supervisors retire or transfer to other occupations.

Other resources

Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences 

International Association of Chiefs of Police 
44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200
Alexandria, VA 22314
800.843.4227
703.836.6767

Interview with a Police Sergeant 
U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Outlook, January 2020

References

Career cluster

• Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security

Career path

• Enterprising (Business Communications)

O*Net  occupation

• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (33-1012.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.

DOT occupations

• Commander, Identification and Records (375.137-010) 
• Commander, Internal Affairs (375.167-050) 
• Commander, Police Reserves (375.137-030) 
• Commanding Officer, Homicide Squad (375.167-010) 
• Commanding Officer, Investigation Division (375.167-014) 
• Commanding Officer, Motorized Squad (375.163-010) 
• Commanding Officer, Police (375.137-034) 
• Deputy Sheriff, Chief (377.167-010) 
• Deputy Sheriff, Commander, Criminal and Patrol Division (377.137-014) 
• Deputy, Court (377.137-018) 
• Desk Officer (375.137-014) 
• Detective Chief (375.167-022) 
• Launch Commander, Harbor Police (375.167-030) 
• Police Captain, Precinct (375.167-034) 
• Police Lieutenant, Community Relations (375.137-018) 
• Police Lieutenant, Patrol (375.167-038) 
• Police Sergeant, Precinct I (375.133-010) 
• Supervisor, Artist, Suspect (970.131-014) 
• Supervisor, Identification and Communications (377.134-010) 
• Traffic Lieutenant (375.167-046) 
• Traffic Sergeant (375.137-026) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Enterprising/Social/Conventional

COPSystem

• Service Professional