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Police officers maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. They perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects; or serve legal processes of courts. This occupation includes police officers working at educational institutions, railroads, and transit properties.
As of May 2020, there were 658,700 people employed in this occupation. The average hourly wage was $33.66, and the average annual wage was $70,010.
In this occupation, there were 39,000 nonfatal injury and illness cases involving days away from work in 2020. The incidence rate per 10,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers was 682.5.
Case characteristic[1] | Number of cases |
---|---|
Nature of injury or illness | |
All other natures | 16,210 |
Sprains, strains, tears | 9,070 |
Soreness, pain | 6,870 |
Bruises, contusions | 1,770 |
Fractures | 1,520 |
Part of body affected | |
Body systems | 12,630 |
Multiple body parts | 4,800 |
Knee | 3,610 |
Hand | 2,740 |
Back | 2,460 |
Source of injury or illness | |
All other sources | 14,660 |
Vehicles | 5,720 |
Worker motion or position | 3,420 |
Floors, walkways, ground surfaces | 2,830 |
Containers | 560 |
Event or exposure leading to injury or illness | |
Exposure to harmful substances or environments | 12,560 |
Injury by person-unintentional or intent unknown | 6,970 |
Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicles | 4,250 |
Fall on same level | 2,660 |
Intentional injury by other person | 2,000 |
[1] Data shown correspond to Nature, Part, Source, and Event codes based on the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System 2.01 developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses |
Fatal work injuries totaled 105 for police officers during 2020, compared to 86 during 2019.
Wage and employment estimates come from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Injury and illness information come from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI). For more information on SOII program concepts, see the definitions page and the SOII Handbook of Methods. For more information on CFOI program concepts, see the definitions page and the CFOI Handbook of Methods.
Last Modified Date: January 27, 2022