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The
outlook for this cluster in Tennessee is Excellent.
That
is: The growth rate is above the average for all occupations
across the state. There are more job openings expected annually
than there were training completers in a recent year.
National
Supply and Demand for Police and Detectives
The
opportunity for public service through law enforcement work
is attractive to many because the job is challenging and involves
much personal responsibility. Furthermore, law enforcement
officers in many agencies may retire with a pension after
20 or 25 years of service, allowing them to pursue a second
career while still in their 40s. Because of relatively attractive
salaries and benefits, the number of qualified candidates
exceeds the number of job openings in federal law enforcement
agencies and in most state police departments, resulting in
increased hiring standards and selectivity by employers. Competition
is expected to remain keen for the higher paying jobs with
state and federal agencies and police departments in more
affluent areas. Opportunities will be better in local and
special police departments, especially in departments that
offer relatively low salaries or urban communities where the
crime rate is relatively high. Applicants with college training
in police science, military police experience, or both should
have the best opportunities.
Employment
of police and detectives is expected to increase faster than
the average for all occupations through 2010. A more security-conscious
society and concern about drug-related crimes should contribute
to the increasing demand for police services. At the local
and state levels, growth is likely to continue as long as
crime remains a serious concern. However, employment growth
at the federal level will be tempered by continuing budgetary
constraints faced by law enforcement agencies.
The
level of government spending determines the level of employment
for police officers, detectives, and special agents. The number
of job opportunities, therefore, can vary from year to year
and from place to place. Layoffs, on the other hand, are rare
because retirements enable most staffing cuts to be handled
through attrition. Trained law enforcement officers who lose
their jobs because of budget cuts usually have little difficulty
finding jobs with other agencies. The need to replace workers
who retire, transfer to other occupations, or stop working
for other reasons will be the source of many job openings.
Source:
U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
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