Police Officer Resume Examples: 5 Best Samples & Why They Work

Are you looking for a job as a police officer but having trouble drafting a resume to showcase your skills?

This is a common issue that many face, as resumes are an essential aspect of any job application and require careful attention to detail to effectively highlight your relevant experience, qualifications, and abilities.

Fortunately, this guide contains everything you need to know to write the resume possible.

Review the following police officer resume examples to learn how and why they work—and to write a resume that is sure to impress your prospective employer.

Police Officer Resume Examples

Writing a great resume takes time and practice—both of which you may not have.

Thankfully, you can learn from the best. The following resumes include some of the best samples the field offers.

Use the resume examples below to guide you as you write the perfect resume for the job of your dreams and begin to work toward the greater good.

Entry-Level Police Officer Resume Example

Entry-level police officers are typically recent graduates of the police academy.

They will have completed officer training and public safety testing and typically work underneath a senior official.

If you plan to apply for a position as an entry-level police officer, use the resume sample below.

Objective

Motivated and passionate soon-to-be-graduate seeking a full-time position as a police officer in training. Possess strong people skills, updated firearms training safety certification, and will have completed education.

Work Experience 1: Civilian Police Officer

• Job Description: Coordinated with law enforcement to organize and lead neighborhood watch groups, disrupted and reported incidents, and assisted with law enforcement operations.
• Results: Maintained a record of eight reported civilian incidents leading to arrests by law enforcement, developed Spanish-speaking skills and contributed to a 24% decrease in crime.
• Additional Competencies: Organized several civilian arrest training for other neighborhood watch group members and held regular meetings to discuss incidents.
• Other: Developed a Spanish-speaking neighborhood watch group and provided volunteer training and instruction to members.

Work Experience 2: Police Officer in Training

• Job Description: Served as an officer in training under a senior officer, patrolling assigned areas, responding to 911 calls, and enforcing laws.
• Results: Contributed to a 54% reduction in crime in patrol area, introduced call fielding protocol that contributed to a 23% rise in efficiency in responding to calls.
• Additional Competencies: Answered calls and complaints, took proper action at crime scenes, gathered and organized evidence, and appeared in court to testify.
• Other: Used Spanish fluency to improve communication between police and the local Latino community.

Skills

• Spanish fluency
• Communication
• Leadership
• Patroling
• Public safety and security

Education

• Police Academy of San Francisco: Soon-to-be-graduate of the police academy with a 4.0 GPA and commendations from senior officers.
• Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice: I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley with a 3.58 GPA.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Santa Cruz high school with a 3.56 GPA and a partial scholarship to the University of California.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Firearms Expert
• Basic Court Security Certification
• Certified Law Enforcement Analyst

Why This Resume Works

This resume is an ideal example of what your entry-level police officer resume should look like.

First, the applicant chose to focus on prior experiences related to policing; despite a lack of legal expertise, this applicant has prepared to enter the field.

Additionally, they have earned numerous certifications and degrees to bolster their application and demonstrate their transferable skills.

Even if you are just starting as a police officer, you can leverage your expertise by discussing relevant prior experience. You can also volunteer in certain positions or pursue an education related to your chosen field.

Additionally, this applicant demonstrates an interest in linguistics and communication.

For example, they emphasized their interest in Spanish and working with Spanish-speaking people.

When it comes to policing, communication is essential—but it’s an oft-overlooked skill. Consider marketing yourself as an asset to your prospective employer by developing specific skills in high demand, such as fluency in another language, writing skills, or communication.

Lateral Police Officer Resume Example

A lateral police officer is a law enforcement professional with prior experience seeking to pursue a position in an alternative locale.

For example, if you move from one district to another, you would be considered a lateral move, also known as lateral entry.

If you plan to apply for a position in law enforcement in a new district, you can use the resume below to curate your application for the job.  

Objective

Experienced, credentialed police officer seeking lateral entry to a new position where I can leverage my understanding of criminal law and surveillance skills.  

Work Experience 1: Police Officer

• Job Description: Served as a police officer in Clearwater, Florida, aiding with patrolling, responding to emergencies, and processing crimes.
• Results: Contributed to a 24% reduction in crime and a 43% increase in response efficiency rate.
• Additional Competencies: Patrolled, provided security to establishments, detected and resolved crimes, contributed to arrests and managed evidence.
• Other: Acted as in-house legal professional aiding with corporate transactions, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance, among other legal matters.

Work Experience 2: Lateral Police Officer

• Job Description: Maintained security, law, and order of residential and business establishments in my designated district.
• Results: Contributed to a 43% decrease in crime in my district, won the Rookie of the Year award and contributed to 254 arrests and 123 court proceedings.
• Additional Competencies: Patrolling, writing police reports, managing emergency calls, collaborating with EMS and health professionals, and testifying in court.
• Other: Transitioned to a new role as a police officer in a separate state, integrated well amongst other officers, and earned Rookie of the Year award in 2012.

Skills

• Knowledge of laws and legal proceedings
• Testifying in court
• Excellent computer and communication skills
• Fluency in English and French
• Leadership

Education

• Harvard Law School: I earned my JD at Harvard Law School with a 3.68 GPA and a focus on criminal justice.
• University of Rhode Island: Studied criminology and social justice and earned a 4.0 GPA.
• Police Academy of Rhode Island: Graduated from the police academy with a 4.0 GPA and commendations from senior officers.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Law Enforcement Analyst
• CPR/AED Certified
• Certified Security Supervision and Management

Why This Resume Works

This resume highlights the applicant’s qualifications and maximizes their appeal to prospective employers.

The applicant begins by creating a thorough narrative throughout their resume highlighting their knowledge and expertise in criminal law and law enforcement. While cops are not required to have specialized skills, it helps to market applicants to potential employers.

Additionally, creating a compelling story throughout your resume keeps your reader engaged and increases the likelihood that you will get the job.

Consider emphasizing your special interests and capabilities—and even pursue degrees or certifications if you can—to market yourself to hiring staff.

This writer also includes a balance of hard and soft skills in their resume’s “skills” section. Hard skills refer to technical know-how, while soft skills typically apply to what are commonly known as personal attributes.

Soft skills are increasingly in high demand in law enforcement, and you can strengthen your application by maximizing the number of soft skills you include. Remember to focus on skills you have—resume readers can spot inauthenticity from a mile away, and you’ll have to demonstrate those capabilities on the job.

Additionally, keep your skills list limited to maintain concision throughout your resume.

Tactical Police Officer Resume Example

A tactical police officer is a specialized professional tasked with resolving high-risk situations. Tactical officers often pursue dangerous persons, arrest or neutralize armed people, intervene in difficult situations, and execute searches.

They often receive higher pay to accommodate for risk.

To become a tactical police officer, use the resume below for the best results.

Objective

Highly qualified, experienced tactical police officer seeking a new, full-time position in New York where I can leverage my specialties in disarming dangerous suspects and explosive ordnance disposal.

Work Experience 1: Tactical Police Officer Resume

• Job Description: Served as a tactical police officer in Boston, conducting searches, leading missions, using surveillance, and going undercover.
• Results: Contributed to 453 arrests and a 24% reduction in crime and earned five awards.
• Additional Competencies: Conducted post-shooting missions, neutralized bombs, and worked with confidential informants to cull information.
• Other: Earned two Crime Reduction awards from the community and three department commendations.

Work Experience 2: Tactical Police Officer Resume

• Job Description: Served as a tactical police officer and explosive ordnance disposal technician in Boston District 005.
• Results: Naturalized 24 bombs, arrested 632 suspects, and contributed to a 53% reduction in violent crimes.
• Additional Competencies: Specialized in narcotic trafficking and terrorist threats.
• Other: Earned two Presidential Election Deployment awards and two Crime Reduction ribbons.

Skills

• Bomb neutralizing
• Suspect disarmament
• Weapons training and mastery
• Critical thinking
• Level-headedness

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Criminology: Graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a 3.56 GPA and commendations from the Dean.
• Police Academy of Boston: Graduated from the police academy with a 4.0 GPA and commendations from senior members.
• High School Diploma: Graduated from Boston High School with a 4.0 GPA and a full scholarship to John Jay College.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician
• Certified Law Enforcement Analyst
• Certified Security Supervision and Management Expert

Why This Resume Works

This resume provides a high-level example of a tactical police officer resume.

First, the writer uses numbers and statistics to support their claims of efficacy. For example, the applicant provided crime reduction statistics, GPA, and total number of arrests to help their expertise.

One of the biggest mistakes that applicants need to be doing more to quantify their achievements. When you back your claims up with actual numbers, you render yourself much more attractive to a prospective employer.

Additionally, numbers suggest that you track your performance, which is an advantage when you work in law enforcement.

To that end, consider supporting your successes and achievements with quantifiable numbers and statistics to enhance your application and give more weight to your words.

Another advantage of this resume is the number of awards and commendations the applicant has received. Some people may forget to include awards on a resume, but doing so can make you more desirable—particularly in law enforcement.

Consider including any awards, special mentions, or testimonials that speak to your expertise.

Retired Police Officer Resume Example

A retired police officer is a law enforcement professional who has retired from the profession. Retirees typically have over ten years of experience at minimum, and many pursue jobs in security, law, communications, education, and more.

Consider the following retired police officer resume example to craft your own.

Objective

Experienced, credentialed police officer with over 25 years of experience seeking to retire from law enforcement and pursue a position as a security professional.

Work Experience 1: Senior Police Officer

• Job Description: Served as a law enforcement professional in the 007 District of Chicago.
• Results: Contributed to a 35% reduction in crime, mentored over 24 other officers, and retired in good standing in 2022.
• Additional Competencies: Collaborated with health professionals to meet the needs of mentally ill victims and perpetrators.
• Other: Led squad supervision, discipline and conduct, and education and training. I created a mentorship program to serve novice officers.

Work Experience 2: Tactical Police Officer

• Job Description: Served as a tactical police officer in Chicago’s 012 District and led the SWAT team.
• Results: Contributed to a 25% reduction in violent crime and improved employee retention rate by 64%.
• Additional Competencies: Conducted numerous mandated missions, including Gang Conflict Zone Missions, POD Missions, and Violence Reduction Missions.
• Other: Created a mentorship program to help novice officers acclimate to the profession and was involved in union representation.

Skills

• Attention to detail
• Able to work under pressure
• Interpersonal skills
• Mentorship and training
• Leadership

Education

• Masters of Arts in Criminology: Obtained a master’s degree from Northwestern University with a 3.94 GPA.
• Bachelor of Arts in Communications: I obtained my bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University with a 3.95 GPA.
• Police Academy of Chicago: Graduated from the police academy with a 4.0 GPA and multiple certifications.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Criminal Investigator
• Certified Law Enforcement Analyst
• Basic Court Security Certification
• Certified in Security Supervision and Management

Why This Resume Works

This resume provides an overview of what a retired police officer’s resume should look like.

First, the applicant should include a short, clear, and concise resume objective. Your resume objective lets your prospective employer know who you are (in summary) and what you hope to accomplish in your new position.

A resume objective should be short and relatively straightforward as the one above. Summarize yourself in a sentence and include your intentions for your new job.

Like this applicant, you can also hone in on your interpersonal skills. Many police stations are in high demand of officers who can collaborate with health professionals and community members to deliver essential services and tend to others.

If you can, consider emphasizing your interpersonal and communication skills to improve your application.

Lastly, this applicant has accused several certifications and licenses. If you plan to transition to a new field, you’ll need to demonstrate your expertise and ability to perform in your new position. Gathering certifications is a great way to do just that.

Special Police Officer Resume Example

Special police officers occupy an essential position in law enforcement.

“Special” typically refers to officers who are members of specialized units, on reserve, or work in a law enforcement agency.

If you plan to apply to become a special police officer, use the resume below to tailor yours to the job and ensure you stand out from the general horde of applicants.

Objective

Certified, ethical special police officer seeking a full-time position at the Hilton Hotel where I can leverage my surveillance and search skills.

Work Experience 1: Special Police Officer

• Job Description: Served as a special police officer for San Francisco public schools, ensuring that students, staff, and third parties were safe.
• Results: Contributed to a 13% reduction in student arrests, managed and reported 452 incidents, and ensured all students remained in class.
• Additional Competencies: Responded to medical emergencies, checked passes to enter the building, and searched for weapons upon entry.
• Other: Provided security on multiple contracts, reported all incidents and accidents, and monitored security cameras.

Work Experience 2: Police Officer

• Job Description: Served as a police officer in Los Angeles 001st District, patrolling the community, aiding with arrests, and responding to emergency calls.
• Results: Contributed to a 24% reduction in crime, earned commendations from three senior officers, and managed a 4.0 GPA while working full-time.
• Additional Competencies: Highway patrol, detecting roadway crimes, briefing other officers, and collaborating across departments.
• Other: Attended graduate school full-time while working as a police officer.

 Skills

• Investigative skills
• CCTV surveillance
• Report writing
• Observant and detail-oriented  
• Communication

Education

• Masters of Science in Criminology: Obtained a master’s degree from the University of Los Angeles with a 4.0 GPA.
• Bachelor of Arts in Politics: Obtained a bachelor’s degree in politics from the University of Los Angeles with a 3.95 GPA.
• Police Academy: Graduated from the Police Academy with two commendations from senior officers and a 3.94 GPA.

Licenses & Accreditations

• Certified Law Enforcement Analyst
• Certified Criminal Investigator
• Certified in Security Supervision and Management

Why This Resume Works

This resume showcases the applicant’s highly specialized skills favorably.

The applicant has ample experience with surveillance and working in schools and other establishments. As a result, they are a good candidate for a position doing the same in a hotel (as stated in their objective).

As a Special Officer, you’ll need sufficient skills within the particular domain you are applying for. Although prior experience isn’t necessary, you should tailor your resume to the demands of your desired position.

Additionally, consider including any examples of the initiative. The initiative is an essential quality in policing and other professions since it demonstrates an ability to think critically, exercise creativity, and multitask.

This applicant demonstrates initiative by highlighting their experience working and going to school full-time. Additionally, the applicant created a mentorship program at one of their prior positions.

If you have experiences that testify to your ability to multi-task and exercise creative thinking, consider including them on your resume. Doing so makes you more attractive to prospective employers.

Common Skills & Action Verbs to Include on a Police Officer Resume

Many employers use applicant tracking systems to manage their resumes.

These machines scan through applicants to determine which applicants are qualified and which are not. They look for particular keywords and action verbs to determine candidacy which means that they may overlook a resume that has credibility but lacks the correct vocabulary.

To that end, you’ll need to use targeted keywords in your application to make it through the scanners. Consider the following common skills and action verbs to get started.

Common Skills for Police Officer Resumes

• Surveillance skills
• First aid/CPR
• Firearms training
• Interpersonal skills
• Orientation to detail
• Arrest skills
• Interrogation skills
• Knowledge of law
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Report writing
• Observance
• Integrity/ethics
• Critical thinking
• Multitasking

Common Action Verbs for Police Officer Resumes

• Lead
• Serve
• Spearhead
• Manage
• Mentor
• Train
• Contribute
• Leverage
• Respond
• Provide
• Design
• Solve
• Resolve

Tips for Writing a Better Police Officer Resume

Most people start by writing a resume and then work to optimize it.

However, with the proper guidance, you can write an excellent resume, increasing your chances of landing the job you want.

Consider the following industry-leading tips for writing a better police officer resume.

1. Focus on the Relevance of Prior Positions

Whether or not you have experience in law enforcement, you should work to ensure that your prior work experience sufficiently details your transferable skills.

What matters in policing isn’t your expertise on paper but your ability to perform specific tasks.

For this reason, it’s essential to cite relevant job experiences and credentials to keep your resume slim, accessible, and optimized.

2. Quantify Your Achievements

Most people list their achievements in terms of qualitative details. For example, you might mention having participated in arrests.

However, if you put numbers behind your claims, it helps to support your expertise and allows your prospective employer to better understand your abilities and accomplishments.

Consider citing statistics, numbers, and other metrics to support your claims of efficacy.

3. Write a Resume Objective

Resume objectives are short, concise statements of intention.

A vital resume objective should emphasize your qualifications and your main realm of expertise, as well as specify your intentions for the job.

Writing a resume objective lets your employer gain a quick picture of who you are so they know to read the rest of your resume.

4. Keep Your Resume Simple

Many people try to squeeze too much into their resumes.

However, hiring teams typically don’t have much time to peruse lengthy resumes.

Limit your resume to one double-sided page, and keep your language brief and clear. Limit your experiences to only those most relevant to the job you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Consider the following answers to our most frequently asked questions for more information on police officer resumes.

What are the 3 major roles of the police?

1. Law enforcement: Preventing and investigating crime, arresting suspects, and gathering evidence for use in criminal prosecutions.
2. Protection of life and property: Responding to emergencies such as fires, accidents, and natural disasters and assisting those in need.
3. Maintenance of public order: Responding to disturbances, managing crowds and protests, and preventing or resolving conflicts between individuals or groups.

What is a good example of a police officer’s resume objective?

A good police officer’s resume objective should be short and to the point as follows.

Qualified, credentialed police officer seeking a full-time position in the 006 District of Chicago where I can leverage my surveillance and patrolling skills.

Similar Resume Types to Reference

If you enjoyed this article, consider exploring similar resume types in the guides below.

• Federal Resume: Federal agents generally work for the federal government. Consider checking out this guide to learn more about writing a federal resume.
• Security Guard Resume: If you’ve chosen to retire or divert from the field of policing, consider applying for a position as a security guard.
• Military Resume: If you plan to join the military, you can use the attached guide to learn more about writing the perfect resume.

Wrapping Up

The demand for police officers is expected to remain consistently high, as the profession holds a significant and esteemed position in our society. As a result, it continues to be regarded as one of the most desirable career choices available.

Use this guide to apply to various positions as a police officer, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments below.

Share this article with someone else who might benefit from it—working with your friends is always an advantage.