First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Description

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

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.
  • Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records.
  • Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties.
  • Cooperate with court personnel and officials from other law enforcement agencies and testify in court as necessary.
  • Review contents of written orders to ensure adherence to legal requirements.
  • Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff.
  • Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners.
  • 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.
  • Monitor and evaluate the job performance of subordinates, and authorize promotions and transfers.
  • Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates.
  • Conduct raids and order detention of witnesses and suspects for questioning.
  • Discipline staff for violation of department rules and regulations.
  • Develop, implement and revise departmental policies and procedures.
  • Inspect facilities, supplies, vehicles, and equipment to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Requisition and issue equipment and supplies.
  • Meet with civic, educational, and community groups to develop community programs and events, and to discuss law enforcement subjects.
  • Prepare news releases and respond to police correspondence.
  • Prepare budgets and manage expenditures of department funds.
  • Direct release or transfer of prisoners.

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Personnel and Human Resources
Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills

Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Persuasion
Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Coordination
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Time Management
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Management of Personnel Resources
Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.

Abilities

Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Fluency of Ideas
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Work Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Work Context

Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Deal With External Customers
How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Frequency of Decision Making
How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
How do the decisions an employee makes impact the results of co-workers, clients or the company?

Interests

Enterprising
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Work Style

Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Self Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Leadership
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Concern for Others
Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.

Work Values

Independence
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Recognition
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Lay Titles

Administrative Operations Officer
Bureau Chief
Chief Deputy Sheriff
Chief of Harbor Patrol
Chief of Police
Civil Division Commander Deputy Sheriff
Community Relations Police Lieutenant
Court Deputy
Criminal and Patrol Division Commander Deputy Sheriff
Deputy Chief Sheriff
Deputy Sheriff
Desk Officer
Desk Sergeant
Detective Chief
Detective Lieutenant
Detective Sergeant
Detective Supervisor
Harbor Master
Harbor Police Launch Commander
Homicide Squad Commanding Officer
Hostage Negotiator
Identification and Communications Supervisor
Identification and Records Commander
Internal Affairs Commander
Investigation Division Commanding Officer
Lieutenant
Line Sergeant
Motorized Squad Commanding Officer
Patrol Captain
Patrol Commander
Patrol Police Sergeant
Patrol Sergeant
Police Captain
Police Chief
Police Chief Deputy
Police Commanding Officer
Police Field Commander
Police Field Operation Officer
Police Lieutenant
Police Officer
Police Patrol Lieutenant
Police Reserves Commander
Police Sergeant
Police Shift Commander
Police Superintendent
Police Supervisor
Port Warden
Precinct Captain
Precinct Commanding Officer
Precinct Police Captain
Precinct Police Lieutenant
Precinct Police Sergeant
Safety Supervisor
Sergeant
Sheriff
Sheriff Chief Deputy
Shift Supervisor
Special Agent in Charge (SAC)
Special Weapons and Tactics Officer (SWAT Officer)
Suspect Artist Supervisor
Traffic Division Commanding Officer
Traffic Lieutenant
Traffic Sergeant
Traffic Supervisor
Under Sheriff
Uniform Force Captain
Vehicle Maintenance Unit Commanding Officer

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):
$37.63 hourly, $78,270 annual.
Employment (2008):
99,860 employees