Police Records Clerk
How to Become a

Police Records Clerk

The complete career guide to be a Police Records Clerk: salary, job growth, employers, best schools, and education you may need to get started.

Why We Love It

  • $29,900
    Potential Avg. Salary
  • -5.6%
    Job Growth Rate
  • Dependable Daily Workload
    Career Attribute
  • High Job Satisfaction
    Career Attribute

A police clerk preforms clerical, customer service and police department liaison duties.  They assist individuals coming into the police station seeking help or information as well as answering any non-emergency telephone inquiries.  This position requires a multitude of facets including accurately filling out forms, keeping records and files and maintaining all internal and external department communications.

Recommended Schools


What is a Police Records Clerk?

The following responsibilities are common for Police Records Clerks:

  • Receives, reviews and edits any police reports that coming including crashes, arrests, etc.
  • Prepares police reports and crime complaints for attorneys, courts and victims
  • Prepares prosecution case reports for District Attorney’s office
  • Receives and processes payments for police reports and arrest records
  • Provides all internal and external administrative support for the police department

A Day In The Life

The main job of a police clerk is collecting information and efficiently filing it for easy and attainable access.  They are responsible for fulfilling a wide variety of common clerical and administrative duties.  Their job responsibilities typically include typically include filing and file retrieval of crime and incident reports as well as being responsible for any public inquiries, whether it be via email, publicly or otherwise.  They are required to inform the public regarding missing persons, stolen property and wanted persons.  They also write incident reports to state agencies as well as compile public safety records.

Typical Work Schedule

These individuals are required to work days, night and weekends and must have flexible availability and are required to be amenable to shift work.

Projected Job Growth

As government agencies become more reliable on computers, these individuals may see a gradual decrease in this particular occupation.

Typical Employers

Police departments and other government agencies employ individuals as police records clerks.

Recommended Schools


How To Become a Police Records Clerk

Typically, most employers prefer to hire individuals with an associates degree in criminal justice or administration justice.  Although, a high school diploma and job experience are also capable of getting an individual’s foot in the door.  The majority of the skills learned for this position are learned through on-the-job training.  They should be knowledgeable and understand the basic functions of an office.  They will be expected to keep and store efficient records.  Computer proficiency is also essential for this job and the individual will be trained on the departments various software and databases.  They must also be capable of typing at least 40 words per minute

Strong written and oral skills are also vital in this occupation.  They must also possess strong organizational and people skills.  They should possess the ability to adapt to uncomfortable situations and have the ability to work with and around a variety of different people, so strong communication and interpersonal skills are also required.

There will also be a background check for these individuals.  A state issued identification card, driver’s license and social security card is also required.  Individuals wanting a career in this field are also required to pass a polygraph examination, drug screen and psychological testing as well.


Police Records Clerk Salary Data

We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.

National Anual Salary

Low Range

$22,090

Average

$29,900

High Range

$45,230

National Hourly Wage

Low Range

$11/hr

Average

$14/hr

High Range

$22/hr

How do Police Records Clerk salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Police Records Clerk's can make an average annual salary of $29,900, or $14 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $22,090 or $11 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.

Salary Rankings And Facts

  • #703 Nationally for All Careers


Highest Education Among Police Records Clerks

  • 0.7%   Doctorate
  • 4%   Masters
  • 17.9%   Bachelors
  • 13.1%   Associates
  • 32.1%   College
  • 27.9%   High School
  • 4.2%   Less than High School

Job Growth Projections and Forecast

2014 Total Jobs

159,000

2024 Est. Jobs

150,100

Job Growth Rate

-5.6%

Est. New Jobs

-8,900

How does Police Records Clerk job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of -8,900 jobs for a total of 150,100 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a -5.6% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.

Growth Rankings And Facts

  • #708 Nationally for All Careers


What Companies Employ The Most Police Records Clerks

Industry Current Jobs New Jobs Needed % Increase
Offices of physicians 21,500 900 1%
Legal services 15,000 -2,200 -2%
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 14,700 -1,500 -2%

Want To Be a Police Records Clerk? Get Started!

Generate your free SmartPlan™ to identify colleges you like, and potential ways to save on a degree or certification program toward your career with courses, offers, and much more!

Enroll Now and Get Started

or Learn More →