Police Officer
Protect the public and property by enforcing laws.
Job opportunities
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Jobs on SEEK right now
Job growth
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Projected job growth in 5 years
Salary
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Typical salary
Job satisfaction
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What's it like to be a Police Officer?
Police Officers serve to protect public life and property. They undertake extensive on-the-job training and perform a diverse range of duties, including: maintaining public order and safety; being first responder to emergency calls; investigating and prosecuting criminal offences; enforcing traffic law; securing and examining crime scenes; and dealing with violent offenders or people under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
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Tasks and duties
- Securing and examining scenes of crimes and accidents.
- Maintaining public order and safety and preventing anti-social behaviour.
- Pursuing, arresting and interviewing suspected offenders.
- Enforcing traffic law including testing suspected alcohol and drug-affected drivers.
- Managing traffic at congested areas.
- Providing advice and assistance to victims of crime and their families.
- Dealing with drug and alcohol affected people.
- Attending critical incidents and emergencies.
- Protecting witnesses of major crimes.
- Documenting incident reports, maintaining records and preparing regular reports.
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Police Officers in Australia are required to carry a firearm and must pass a series of background checks and psychometric, fitness and medical tests.Police Officers interact with members of the public daily and must be adept at resolving disputes, de-escalation, and remaining calm under pressure.
How to become a Police Officer
- Hold Australian Citizenship or Permanent Residency.
- A high school certificate or equivalent may be required in some states or territories if you're under 21 years of age.
- Hold a full driver’s licence.
- Achieve a Level 1 First Aid Certificate.
- Demonstrate active work experience.
- Undertake the application process to become a Police Recruit and begin training. You may have to pass eligibility checks, an entrance exam, background checks, fitness testing, psychological testing, health checks and a final interview.
Latest Police Officer jobs on SEEK
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Location
AustraliaTop skills and experience requested in recent job ads
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Is Police Officer the right role for me?
How do Police Officers rate their role?
Average ratings calculated from 55 Police Officers surveyed on SEEK.
Work-life balance
2.8
Job satisfaction
3.2
Career progression opportunities
3.3
Job security
3.9
Pay / Salary
3.4
Variety of work
3.7
Job market trends for Police Officers
Location
AustraliaProjected job growth
National increase over next 5 years
2021
2026
Source: National Skills Commission. Police
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK role reviews
Latest Police Officer reviews
Latest reviews from 49 Police Officers surveyed on SEEK.
All
Positive
Negative
May 2021
A very challenging and unsocial job. The best things about policing is the scope to move department.
Reviewer's Qualification
Higher School Certificate
Experience
10+ years
Organisation size
Large (200+ employees)
Specialisation
General duties
The good things
When you are helping genuine victims of crime the job can be very rewarding. The diversity of being a police officer can be varied and wide which helps maintain the interest in carrying out the role.
The challenges
There are many challenges faced by police officers. The confronting scenes such as traffic accidents. The conflict management of dealing with a violent domestic situation. The handling of drug/alcohol...
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May 2021
Policing is a job that tools to make a difference in your community
Reviewer's Qualification
Diploma of Management
Experience
10+ years
Organisation size
Large (200+ employees)
Specialisation
COMMUNICATIONS
The good things
The Police Service is a large organisation with numerous career avenues to choose from. After you initial training officers have the ability to move away from general duty policing into more specialis...
The challenges
The Police Service can be a highly demanding job both physically and mentally. A lot off new officers are surprised by the high level of administration duties associated with the processing of persons...
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Source: SEEK role reviews
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data