Law Enforcement Resume: Building a Resume for the Law Enforcement Professional

Law enforcement resumes reflect the aspirations of two general categories of job seekers:  those wishing to achieve career progression within a Police Department or other law enforcement governmental agency, and those hoping to transition into private industry.  The latter group most often consists of individuals retiring from governmental law enforcement positions and desiring to structure, provide, and/or direct security programs and measures for corporations, institutions, or high-profile individuals.

Whichever avenue is sought, it is imperative that applicants indicate their education on their police officer resume, detective resume, security officer resume, or other law enforcement resume.  They should do so in a place of prominence, at the beginning of the resume, such as the Professional Profile or Summary, as well as the section for formal education, which is usually found later in the resume.  With few exceptions, career advancement within this field cannot be achieved without higher education, such as a Bachelor’s, or increasingly often, a Master’s degree.

It is also critical that those applying for positions in law enforcement or corporate security present their accomplishments, as opposed to merely their duties, to potential employers.  Achievements should consist of quantifiable and/or qualifiable data, such as the number of criminal citations or convictions that one has facilitated, the amount of the budget one has controlled including cost savings/reductions, and the establishment of and/or participation in special task forces as well as what those forces have accomplished in stemming criminal activity.

The inclusion of awards and distinctions from the law enforcement community are also advantageous on a law enforcement resume, describing actions performed “above and beyond the call of duty”.  Brief testimonials from community members may also be beneficial, as they are unsolicited and heartfelt.

Should you decide to utilize an electronic job board, understand that recruiters often interchange phrases or titles when typing in keywords as their search criteria.  To maximize opportunities for your resume to be read, you will want to vary those phrases.  For example, the terms “police officer” or “detective” are synonymous and interchangeable with “law enforcement professional.”

Not every professional resume writer agrees with this, but some support the addition of significant salary increases on a law enforcement resume.  The rationale behind this school of thought is that an increase beyond that given to peers indicates a merit pay raise and is a direct reflection of one’s job performance and/or increase in one’s responsibilities.

Like so many other fields, law enforcement has been impacted by the advent and growth of the Information Superhighway.  Centralized, electronic databases accelerate investigation of alleged perpetrators’ backgrounds, including prior arrests; other forms of Information Technology facilitate surveillance.  Therefore, serious applicants must indicate their familiarity or expertise with specific systems.

Cognizant that the key information contained in this article will assists employers in making informed decisions, law enforcement applicants will want to include as much of the pertinent data as possible when crafting their law enforcement resumes.