Headline risk
22%
Moderate RiskPolice and sheriff's patrol officers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
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.
Task evidence
97% weighted task match · 6% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 76,290
Employment 2024
698.8K
Projected Change (2024–34)
3.1%
Openings (2024–34)
53.7K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. 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. AI use: 0%
- 2. Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S. AI use: 86%
- 3. Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts. AI use: 0%
- 4. Detain persons found to be in violation of customs or immigration laws and arrange for legal action, such as deportation. AI use: 0%
- 5. Inspect cargo, baggage, and personal articles entering or leaving U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations. AI use: 0%
- 6. Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities. AI use: 100%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 39.9 · 705K employed
Under 25: 5% · 25–54: 83% · 55+: 12%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
title_match · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Police officers protect lives and property. Detectives and criminal investigators gather facts and collect evidence of possible crimes.
Police and detective work can be physically demanding, stressful, and dangerous. Police and sheriff's patrol officers and transit and railroad police have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Working around the clock in shifts is common.
The education typically required to enter the occupation ranges from a high school diploma to a college degree. Most police and detectives must graduate from their agency’s training academy before completing on-the-job training. Other requirements vary, but candidates usually must be at least 21 years old and able to meet rigorous physical and personal qualifications.
The median annual wage for police and detectives was $77,270 in May 2024.
Overall employment of police and detectives is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.