“A police officer spoke at our career day during my junior year of high school and I learned how broad the law enforcement career field is. He explained that you can work for local or state agencies, or the federal government in roles as varied as fish and game warden, detective, criminal investigator, transit and railroad police, school resource officer, police or sheriff patrol officers, and more. I feel passionate about protecting people, and I love being a first responder. I take a lot of pride in being a person who can help the community. I believe that a shared sense of responsibility for everyone’s safety and well-being makes a community a good place to live. My work as a municipal police officer lets me live this commitment every day.”

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Job Description

SOC Code: 33-3051

Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers 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.*

*Source: This information is based on O*NET™ data. O*NET is a trademark registered to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.

Top Job Skills:

• Prevent crime
• Enforce laws
• Direct traffic
• Assist with procedures
• Use of firearms

General Work Activities:

• Interacting With Others
  • Respond to emergencies to provide assistance
  • Administer first aid
  • Communicate situation details to appropriate personnel
  • Testify at legal or legislative proceedings
  • Relay information about incidents or emergencies to personnel using phones or two-way radios
• Information Input
  • Investigate illegal or suspicious activities
  • Investigate accidents to determine causes
  • Monitor access or flow of people to prevent problems
• Work Output
  • Apprehend criminal suspects
  • Maintain public order or security
  • Prepare investigation or incident reports
  • Record information about suspects or criminals

Source: SC Works Online Services (SCWOS)

*All data is factual, but names, images, and quotations have been adapted to protect the identity of employees and businesses

Job Statistics

Examples of Workforce Areas with Job Openings

• Midlands
• Lower Savannah
• Greenville
• Trident
• Catawba
• Waccamaw

Source: SC Works Online Services. Ask an SC Works representative for more information about postings in your area.

Examples of Employers with Job Openings

 

• Lexington Medical Center
• City of Columbia, SC
• Lexington County Sheriff's Department
• Orangeburg County, SC
• Richland County, SC
• Charleston County, SC

 

Source: SC Works Online Services. Ask an SC Works representative for more information about postings in your area.

Related Occupations

 

• First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
• Bailiffs
• Correctional Officers and Jailers
• Detectives and Criminal Investigators
• Transit and Railroad Police

 

NOTE: All data based on state averages. Information may vary depending on region, experience, and specific employment situation. Last Updated: 2024.

Learn More With SCWOS

SC Works Online Services (SCWOS) is the state’s largest job database and provides all of South Carolina's job postings from all major sites, including Monster and Career Builder, in one resource. SCWOS has thousands of positions listed by employers all over the state. To access SCWOS, visit jobs.scworks.org.

Find in-depth breakdowns of occupational statistics such as necessary job certifications, job skills and abilities, current job openings, overview of general work activities, and more by visiting O*NET.org.