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Police Officers (Sergeant and Below)

Police officers (Sergeant and below) co-ordinate and undertake the investigation of crimes, patrol public areas, arrest offenders and suspects and enforce law and order. Officers of the British Transport Police operate within the specialised police service for the railway network across Britain.

Wages

New workers
AVERAGE
Experienced
£27,793
£43,242
£54,495

New workers start around £27,793. Normal pay is £43,242 per year.
Highly experienced workers can earn up to £54,495.

Available jobs

In the past year there were 133,819 vacancies for this type of job

4.87%

Projected job growth over the next 8 years

Related courses

People work towards these careers by taking these courses at college and uni.

What they do most days?

  • Gives evidence in court cases.

  • Works on station reception desk and or in communications room.

  • Prepares briefs or reports for senior officers.

  • Attends accidents.

  • Interviews suspects, takes statements from witnesses and stops, searches and/or arrests suspects.

  • Investigates complaints, crimes, accidents, any suspicious activities or other incidents.

  • Directs and controls traffic or crowds at demonstrations and large public events.

  • Receives instructions from senior officers and patrols an assigned area on foot, horseback, motorcycle, motor car or boat to check security and enforce regulations.

Hard Skills

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Patrolling

  • Risk Analysis

  • Traffic Flow

  • Anti-Social Behaviour

  • Operations Management

  • Reliability Availability Maintainability And Safety Software

  • Vulnerability

  • Law Enforcement

  • Social Work

  • Intrapulmonary Percussive Ventilator

Soft Skills

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education.

Skills are ranked based on the number of job adverts that list them as required skills.

  • Communication

  • Customer Service

  • Management

  • Investigation

  • Self-Motivation

  • English Language

  • Planning

  • Leadership

  • Operations

  • Problem Solving

How do I get a job like this?

People in these types of job started their career paths after studying courses like the ones below.

Routes to this career

See all

Criminology

Nottingham College

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 64/64

Professional Policing

University of Roehampton

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · London · 09/2025

Tariff points: 112/112

Crime and Investigation

University of Huddersfield

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Huddersfield · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/112

Professional Policing

Nottingham Trent University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Nottingham · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: 96/104

Fire and Leadership Studies

University of Central Lancashire

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Preston · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/104

Professional Policing

University of Worcester

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Worcester · 09/2025

Tariff points: 112/112

Criminology

University of Chichester

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Chichester · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/120

Criminology

University of Gloucestershire

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Cheltenham · 22/09/2025

Tariff points: 104/120

Professional Policing

Northumbria University, Newcastle

BSc (Hons) · 4 Years · Full-time with year in industry · Newcastle upon Tyne · 09/2025

Tariff points: 112/112

Contemporary Criminology (Top Up)

University Centre Bishop Burton

BA (Hons) · 1 Year · Full-time · Beverley · 15/09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Criminology

De Montfort University

BA (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Leicester · 09/2025

Tariff points: N/A

Applied Criminology

Canterbury Christ Church University

BSc (Hons) · 3 Years · Full-time · Canterbury · 09/2025

Tariff points: 112/112

Related careers

Senior Police Officers

Paramedics

Social Workers

Probation Officers

Child and Early Years Officers

Housing Officers

Prison Service Officers (Below Principal Officer)

Human Resources Administrative Occupations

Rail Travel Assistants

Police Community Support Officers

Related industry guides

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Protective services