Occupation · SOC 33-1012
First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.
Median wage
$105,980
$62,370–$165,050
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
153,130
Job Zone 2
Typical preparation
Some preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,216 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionManagement of Personnel ResourcesMonitoringSocial PerceptivenessActive ListeningCoordination
Knowledge areas
Public Safety and SecurityLaw and GovernmentCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementEnglish Language
Technology & tools
Graphics or photo imaging softwareHelpdesk or call center softwareOffice suite softwareMap creation softwareElectronic mail software
Representative tasks
Supervise and coordinate the investigation of criminal cases, offering guidance and expertise to investigators, and ensuring that procedures are conducted in accordance with laws and regulations.Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work.Train staff in proper police work procedures.Discipline staff for violation of department rules and regulations.Monitor and evaluate the job performance of subordinates, and authorize promotions and transfers.Review contents of written orders to ensure adherence to legal requirements.Conduct raids and order detention of witnesses and suspects for questioning.Cooperate with court personnel and officials from other law enforcement agencies and testify in court, as necessary.Meet with civic, educational, and community groups to develop community programs and events, and to discuss law enforcement subjects.Inspect facilities, supplies, vehicles, and equipment to ensure conformance to standards.Direct release or transfer of prisoners.Requisition and issue equipment and supplies.Develop, implement, and revise departmental policies and procedures.Prepare news releases and respond to police correspondence.Prepare budgets and manage expenditures of department funds.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Duty rosters and shift schedules — review and distribute under supervisor direction within a patrol division.Departmental reports and daily logs — complete basic entries following established templates in a police records system.Evidence handling procedures — observe and assist with collection and labeling of physical evidence at a crime scene under direct oversight.Regulatory updates and policy changes — read and summarize new directives for personal reference before briefing participation.Police operations terminology — recognize and explain basic patrol procedures to peers during guided ride-alongs.Office suite and email software — use to send routine communications and format shift assignment documents under supervision.Personnel activity logs — record subordinate attendance and task completion in a departmental database with guidance.Law enforcement regulations — identify applicable rules when reviewing routine incident reports alongside a senior supervisor.Misconduct reporting protocols — follow established steps to document and forward a basic complaint to the appropriate review officer.Active listening skills — demonstrate by accurately relaying officer concerns to a shift commander during a supervised briefing.
developing
Work schedules and duty assignments — prepare and distribute independently for a patrol squad, balancing staffing needs across shifts.Criminal case investigations — coordinate day-to-day activities of assigned investigators, applying procedural guidance with limited oversight.Evidence and prisoner property — direct collection, documentation, and secure handling in compliance with chain-of-custody requirements.Personnel performance issues — identify and resolve routine conflicts within the unit using departmental grievance procedures.Police procedure briefings — explain updated operational methods to subordinate officers during pre-shift roll calls.Departmental records management — oversee accurate preparation, filing, and retrieval of incident reports using database query software.New law implications — inform patrol staff of amendments to statutes and their operational impact during regular team meetings.Spreadsheet and presentation software — use to compile shift statistics and present staffing analyses to watch commanders.Officer training participation — assist in delivering structured on-the-job training sessions covering patrol and arrest procedures.Critical incident communication — apply oral expression skills to relay clear, accurate information to dispatchers and responding units during multi-unit responses.
proficient
Complex criminal investigations — supervise and guide detective teams autonomously, ensuring full procedural and legal compliance throughout case lifecycle.Workforce scheduling — design optimized shift rotations for an entire patrol division, anticipating coverage gaps and overtime constraints.Personnel misconduct investigations — conduct thorough internal inquiries, interview involved parties, and recommend disciplinary or corrective action.Evidence integrity — establish and enforce evidence handling and chain-of-custody standards across multiple units and crime scene types.Legislative and policy integration — translate new or amended laws into actionable operational directives communicated to all subordinate staff.Staff development programs — design and deliver training curricula on advanced police techniques, legal updates, and use-of-force protocols.Operational performance monitoring — analyze patrol metrics, response times, and case clearance rates using database and spreadsheet tools to identify systemic issues.Community and interagency communication — represent the unit in briefings with prosecutors, social service agencies, and community stakeholders.Non-routine incident command — exercise independent judgment to deploy personnel and resources during critical or high-complexity public safety events.Written policy documentation — author and revise standard operating procedures, ensuring clarity, legal soundness, and alignment with departmental goals.
advanced
Organizational supervision strategy — set division-wide leadership standards, mentoring junior supervisors in personnel management and decision-making across the department.Departmental policy architecture — develop, approve, and implement comprehensive law enforcement policies that align with statutory requirements and community expectations.Strategic workforce planning — direct long-term staffing models, succession planning, and recruitment initiatives to sustain patrol and investigative capacity.Systemic misconduct prevention — lead culture-change initiatives and accountability frameworks that proactively reduce misconduct and strengthen professional integrity.Cross-functional investigative leadership — oversee major and complex criminal investigations involving multiple agencies, ensuring coordination, legality, and resource efficiency.Executive reporting and analysis — present division performance, resource utilization, and risk assessments to command staff and elected officials using advanced analytical tools.Training program governance — establish department-wide learning strategies and certification standards, aligning officer development with evolving public safety legislation.Technology adoption leadership — evaluate and direct implementation of new law enforcement technologies — including mapping, case management, and data query platforms — across operational units.Legislative and community liaison — represent the department in shaping local public safety legislation, testifying before oversight bodies and advising policy makers.Organizational crisis leadership — direct command-level response to large-scale critical incidents, integrating multi-agency resources and upholding officer safety and legal compliance.
Also known as
143 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
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