Types of Police Officers

Law enforcement agencies have various types of police officers, depending upon their jurisdiction and duties. They vary from sergeants and commanders to patrol officers in cities and rural areas. There can be federal officers, security officers and patrol officers.

All police officers have their own set of duties:

Police Patrol officers

Patrol officers provide protection to general public and property. They make public safe, fight crime, make arrests and control crowds. They usually walk on foot or either in police cars in their assigned areas.

Sheriffs

You may have watched many western movies showing sheriffs who perform the duties of a police officer. Sheriffs work in those areas, which are outside the jurisdiction of cities. Many small town and low populated areas have sheriffs helping out the community. Their job is to make arrests of suspected person, attend to calls and make investigation on crime scenes.

Detectives

They solve criminal cases and make investigations. They work in various law enforcement agencies and you may find them in simple clothes.

Highway Patrol Officers

As the name states, they are responsible for patrolling highways, enforce vehicle and criminal laws and report them accordingly.

Federal Agents

Federal agents can be various types as well, as there are many agencies working in the US. However, the federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the most famous of all. It has the mission of protecting US from terrorist and foreign intelligence dangers and enforces criminal legislation. There are many agents in the US who perform their duty proficiently in compliance of their mission.