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Job Description | Duties | Working Conditions
Educational Requirements | Outlook | Salary

Related Clusters:
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security



Job Description: Police aides work for police departments or sheriffs' offices. Aides type crime reports and file warrants. It is important that they keep all information confidential. Police aides must have respect for the legal system. This occupational category also includes workers who perform the duties of crossing guards.

Duties: Police aides or crossing guards may perform some or all of the following:

• Record accident reports, arrest records, and evidence cards
• Compile schedules
• Perform bookkeeping tasks
• File records and reports
• Distribute mail
• Give information to the public concerning arrests, missing persons, or emergency procedures
• Receive and record physical evidence recovered from crime scenes
• Direct or escort pedestrians across streets stopping traffic as necessary
• Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as street and railroad crossings and construction sites
• Communicate traffic and crossing rules and other information to students and adults
• Direct traffic movement or warn of hazards, using signs, flags, lanterns, and hand signals
• Inform drivers of detour routes through construction sites

For additional information on tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, work activities, work contexts, job zones, interests, work styles, work values, and related occupations, visit the O*Net Online, a division of the National Center for Occupational Information.

Working Conditions: Most police aides work a standard 40-hour week. Some shift work may be required because police protection is provided around the clock. Aides must frequently work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Working for a police department or sheriff's office may be stressful. Crossing guards typically work part time as they are needed.

Educational Requirements: Personal characteristics such as honesty, good judgment, and a sense of responsibility are important in this job. Applicants must have a high school diploma. Clerical experience is looked upon favorably by most employers. High school students will find courses in office occupations, computer applications, business, English, keyboarding and public speaking useful.

Outlook: The estimated number of police aides (including crossing guards) in Tennessee is 960. It is projected there will be an increase of 11 percent in this occupation through the year 2012 with approximately 40 job openings annually. For additional information on this occupation, visit the nationally recognized Occupational Outlook Handbook online.

Salary

• Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee Department of Labor website
• TN Department of Labor & Workforce Development website
• Bureau of Economic Analysis website

For an explanation of salary data please visit acinet.org

Last updated on: January 24, 2008