Specializations

• Most police academies train cadets to become patrol officers--those who monitor a community by car, bike or on foot and respond to crimes and emergencies. Once an officer has field experience, he or she can pursue many specialty areas. The list includes K-9 (dog) operations, mobile response units (SWAT teams), hostage negotiators, narcotics officers, certified car seat installers, juvenile officers and others. State police departments usually have the broadest range of specialties, ranging from ballistics experts to tractor trailer accident inspectors to divers to helicopter pilots.
  
  

Investigations

• Smaller departments allow officers to do their own investigations, though detective can also be a full-time position. Detectives or investigators deal with crimes that are not immediately resolved. Patrol officers who enjoy interviewing suspects, processing evidence and putting all of the pieces together to close a case are good candidates for investigator jobs.
  
  

Administrative work

• Some officers prefer aspects of police work other than patrolling, investigating and making arrests. Depending on the size of the agency, rank-and-file officers can work as dispatchers, evidence technicians, records/booking officers and public affairs/media relations representatives.
  
  

Supervisory tracks

• Police officers can rise through the ranks if they pursue a specialty or if they excel at patrol work. Those who are serious about moving up the chain of command may need experience supervising day, night and weekend shifts, which are common duties for sergeants or lieutenants.There are also supervisory jobs in some specialty roles, such as the Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI). Having experience with overtime spending, equipment purchases and cost containment measures puts a police department employee on the right track toward an upper management position. Likewise, it is important for front-line or middle-tier supervisors to understand long-term crime prevention strategies.
  
  

Moving on

• Police officers commonly retire from the force after 20 or 25 years. Their pension benefits give them flexibility to try something else after retirement, and their experience makes them marketable. Attractive options for retired police officers include private security, insurance investigations, background checks, private investigator firms or working for another police department part-time. Many retirees start their own businesses that are unrelated to public safety.