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First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Also called: Lieutenant, Patrol Sergeant, Police Captain, Police Sergeant

Directly supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

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Median pay BLS, 2025$106,040
Openings a year BLS, 2025–3510,600
Typical education to start BLSHigh school diploma or equivalent
AI exposure BLS, Aug 2026 Moderate
Projected job growth BLS, 2025–35 +3.3%

What the data says: AI could halve the time on 11 of its 20 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.3% by 2035. How to think about this →

About this projection

BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”

It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”

On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”

Recent conditions

  • In 2024, 0.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
  • From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 4.3 hires for every 10 job openings in government, which employs about 97% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.

How to read these

Pay compared with all occupations BLS median wages Pays more than 87% of 825 occupations
lowest-paidhighest-paid

Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates

$60k$164knot published

Median pay in every state
StateMedianMiddle half earnJobs
Alabama$75,970$61,330 to $95,8601,900
Alaska$137,320$100,040 to $170,250320
Arizona$104,850$94,320 to $126,3302,790
Arkansas$62,290$50,100 to $80,9802,100
California$163,960$135,170 to $190,13013,200
Colorado$126,810$116,750 to $133,4002,790
Connecticut$109,360$99,890 to $123,7102,240
Delaware$131,080$114,100 to $163,650410
District of Columbia$134,760$108,810 to $195,1901,230
Florida$100,880$81,040 to $126,3209,900
Georgia$80,120$65,440 to $97,0407,910
Hawaii$140,590$112,860 to $140,590700
Idaho$94,920$80,160 to $120,270930
Illinois$135,080$106,430 to $135,0804,900
Indiana$81,540$72,870 to $106,7001,700
Iowa$98,840$83,030 to $117,7901,370
Kansas$82,950$63,090 to $106,5702,330
Kentucky$80,390$67,840 to $105,4901,600
Louisiana$70,470$55,890 to $77,3203,120
Maine$92,350$83,400 to $100,500440
Maryland$120,700$99,390 to $134,6006,700
Massachusetts$104,320$91,570 to $128,3705,540
Michigan$98,140$81,580 to $103,3203,290
Minnesota$118,750$99,300 to $127,2802,870
Mississippi$59,860$50,150 to $71,6802,060
Missouri$94,440$72,830 to $102,8403,490
Montana$89,380$76,460 to $105,760450
Nebraska$106,100$85,860 to $117,860730
Nevada$132,100$109,390 to $136,8001,300
New Hampshire$100,060$91,300 to $112,640940
New Jersey$142,990$126,670 to $161,5707,650
New Mexico$92,200$79,970 to $108,0101,320
New York$124,080$100,200 to $150,08012,750
North Carolina$91,100$73,950 to $105,1104,820
North Dakota$98,300$85,710 to $106,480440
Ohio$98,380$80,100 to $116,7005,170
Oklahoma$82,830$61,080 to $106,4102,420
Oregon$122,130$104,980 to $132,9701,470
Pennsylvania$102,400$89,400 to $124,8205,690
Puerto Rico$50,300$43,670 to $52,5802,900
Rhode Island$97,690$83,650 to $113,420820
South Carolina$73,700$60,960 to $96,0001,560
South Dakota$87,810$75,370 to $119,170190
Tennessee$74,770$59,260 to $94,9904,430
Texas$111,000$91,160 to $124,7505,540
Utah$110,500$97,200 to $123,5301,360
Vermont$99,280$84,270 to $114,800210
Virgin Islands$82,380$72,760 to $90,340100
Virginia$101,230$80,320 to $130,2503,750
Washington$136,280$125,800 to $161,3102,750
West Virginia$74,280$64,490 to $78,930490
Wisconsin$97,120$87,640 to $116,5702,080
Wyoming$91,400$78,410 to $99,720430

Nationally: $106,040. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this

How AI touches the work

What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.

AI could halve the time on 11 of its 20 tasks

3 · AI alone could halve the time 8 · AI + software built on it could 9 · Not much
AI ratingIts main tasks Share of Claude conversations
May 2026
Not much Explain police operations to subordinates to assist them in performing their job duties. Not published
AI + software Inform personnel of changes in regulations and policies, implications of new or amended laws, and new techniques of police work. under 0.01%
AI alone Prepare work schedules and assign duties to subordinates. Not published
AI + software Maintain logs, prepare reports, and direct the preparation, handling, and maintenance of departmental records. under 0.01%
AI + software 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. Not published
AI + software Direct collection, preparation, and handling of evidence and personal property of prisoners. Not published
See all 20 tasks
Not much Train staff in proper police work procedures. Not published
Not much Investigate and resolve personnel problems within organization and charges of misconduct against staff. Not published
Not much Discipline staff for violation of department rules and regulations. Not published
Not much Cooperate with court personnel and officials from other law enforcement agencies and testify in court, as necessary. Not published
AI + software Monitor and evaluate the job performance of subordinates, and authorize promotions and transfers. Not published
AI + software Review contents of written orders to ensure adherence to legal requirements. 0.01%
Not much Conduct raids and order detention of witnesses and suspects for questioning. Not published
Not much Inspect facilities, supplies, vehicles, and equipment to ensure conformance to standards. Not published
AI alone Meet with civic, educational, and community groups to develop community programs and events, and to discuss law enforcement subjects. Not published
Not much Requisition and issue equipment and supplies. Not published
Not much Direct release or transfer of prisoners. Not published
AI + software Develop, implement, and revise departmental policies and procedures. 0.01%
AI alone Prepare news releases and respond to police correspondence. Not published
AI + software Prepare budgets and manage expenditures of department funds. Not published

Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 4 of the 20 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.

Where people already use AI

The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 20 tasks fall under 18 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.

Tasks AI could speed up11 of 20 tasksEloundou et al. ratings (2023)
Its activities among the 50 people ask AI for help with most1 of 18 activities
  • #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
Microsoft Copilot (2024), ranked among all 332 activities. The cut-off of 50 is ours.
Work activity This occupation's tasks under it People asked AI for help
in 10,000 conversations		 AI did it for them
in 10,000 conversations
Direct legal activities 0.09#319 0.03#292
Coordinate activities with clients, agencies, or organizations 2.97#168 2.18#124
Train others on operational or work procedures 1.60#211 29#38
Explain regulations, policies, or procedures 131#12 119#15
Examine materials or documentation for accuracy or compliance 22#53 12#64
Maintain safety or security 9.38#93 16#51
Prepare reports of operational or procedural activities 4.23#140 2.99#113
Maintain operational records 2.92#170 0.49#209
Show all 18 activities
Inspect facilities or equipment 2.73#174 0.73#181
Develop organizational policies, systems, or processes 2.70#175 1.31#148
Evaluate personnel capabilities or performance 1.94#201 0.78#175
Assign work to others 1.46#215 0.18#247
Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment 0.84#245 0.32#232
Mediate disputes 0.70#257 0.36#226
Record information about legal matters 0.51#270 0.34#229
Replenish inventories of materials, equipment, or products 0.43#276 0.10#268
Process forensic or legal evidence 0.35#281 0.04#287
Present information in legal proceedings 0.17#303 0.02#299
Task: AI alone Task: AI + software Task: not much #: rank among all 332 activities Microsoft measured (#1 = most common; activities that never came up share last place, shown as “tied”)
Where the two sources differ: “Direct legal activities” holds 3 tasks rated AI + software, yet people asked AI for help with it in 0.09 of every 10,000 conversations, #319 of 332.

How people in this work use Claude

What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations

  • A document or report60%
  • An analysis or summary9%
  • An email or message5%
  • Data or a spreadsheet4%
  • An explanation or answer3%

How they worked with Claude

41% handed the task off59% worked on it together

87% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.

How to read this

Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for first-line supervisors of police and detectives specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.

The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.

More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude

High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs

BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.

AI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213 growingModerate151 of 206 growingHigh165 of 206 growingVery high141 of 206 growing11 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Click a dot to see that occupation.First-line supervisors of police and detectives: +3.3%First-Line Supervisors of Police and DetectivesAI exposure and projected job growth, 831 occupationsLow exposure: 134 of 213 occupations projected to grow. Moderate exposure: 151 of 206 occupations projected to grow. High exposure: 165 of 206 occupations projected to grow. Very high exposure: 141 of 206 occupations projected to grow.-20%-15%-10%-5%0%+5%+10%+15%+20%+25%Low134 of 213Moderate151 of 206High165 of 206Very high141 of 20611 occupations outside −20% to +25% are drawn at the edge. Tap a dot.First-line supervisors of police and detectives: +3.3%First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives

Career moves into and out of this occupation

From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.

Where people moved next

of 114,652 moves out

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 10%
  2. 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 5%
  3. 3 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers High +3.5% 4%
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 4%
  5. 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%

Where people moved in from

of 107,481 moves in

  1. 1 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 9%
  2. 2 Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers High +3.5% 6%
  3. 3 Security Guards Moderate +0.9% 4%
  4. 4 General and Operations Managers High +5.0% 3%
  5. 5 Detectives and Criminal Investigators High +0.2% 2%

Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).

Education and training for the occupation

Education people in it hold

O*NET survey of workers in this occupation

  • 56% high school
  • 1% postsecondary certificate
  • 20% some college
  • 4% associate's
  • 19% bachelor's

O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 26 people answered.

Census survey (American Community Survey)

  • 2% less than high school
  • 10% high school
  • 25% some college
  • 16% associate's
  • 34% bachelor's
  • 12% master's
  • 1% professional degree

Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 892 people surveyed.

Why the two can differ

O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide

Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation

Programs that prepare people for it (NCES)
19 programs, such as Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services, Signal/Geospatial Intelligence and Criminal Justice and Corrections, General.
See all
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
  • Signal/Geospatial Intelligence
  • Criminal Justice and Corrections, General
  • Corrections
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies
  • Law Enforcement Record-Keeping and Evidence Management
  • Critical Incident Response/Special Police Operations
  • Protective Services Operations
  • Maritime Law Enforcement
  • Cultural/Archaelogical Resources Protection
  • Homeland Security
  • Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management
  • Critical Infrastructure Protection
  • Terrorism and Counterterrorism Operations
  • Security Science and Technology, General
  • Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy
  • Geospatial Intelligence
  • Security Science and Technology, Other

Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023

>99.5% this occupation

45.3% all occupations

By kindThis occupationAll occupations
a license58.7%19.1%
a certification11.3%5.8%
an educational certificate71.8%2.8%

Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this

Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor

These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide

See where your own career could go Start by uploading your resume Browse careers

BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS

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