Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security · Law Enforcement Services
Pay and outlook shown for
New workers start near $57,410; experienced workers reach $94,720. About 5,130 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Job outlook
Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.
- Employment change
- +4.4%
- Openings a year
- 415
- Employed in 2024
- 5,294
Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Alamo Colleges programs that lead here
5 programs, with the college that teaches each.
Skills this career uses
The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.
- Speaking4.0
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Active Listening3.8
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Persuasion3.8
- Coordination3.6
What the work is
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.
- Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts.
- 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.
- Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities.
- Render aid to accident survivors and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries.
- Investigate illegal or suspicious activities.
- Review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved.
Education people in this job have
Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.
- High school or less40%
- Certificate21%
- Some college15%
- Associate degree17%
- Bachelor's degree7%
Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.
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