8 Best Second Careers for Retired Police Officers

Police officers have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting a second carrier, so check out list of the best second careers for retired police officers to learn more.

Job transitions are always tough if you are switching careers. Regardless what job you do. It is best to stick to the type of job you are most familiar with, and police officers are no exception. This is why we were extra careful while making this list as we looked for best jobs for former police officers. If you are thinking about leaving law enforcement, then this list will definitely be able to help you make the decision. If you would like to try out the private sector for a change, you should definitely check out 7 Jobs for Police Officers in the Private Sector. That said you do not have to work for someone, you can become gainfully self-employed by starting your own agency after getting out of law enforcement. You can look at private investigation agency or security agency as careers after policing.

Working as a police officer enables a person to acquire a certain set of skills, that most people will never be able to acquire through other careers. Apart from that, a police officer’s mind works in such a way that they are able to detect even the smallest of misconducts. They have keen observation, and they can also react to a situation in an instant. Also, they have to be rather brave to be in the police force. There are several jobs outside of the department of police that can utilize the senses and experience of a seasoned police officer. In this article, we will be talking about a few such jobs. The jobs that made it into the list are certainly not the only option for a former police officer. However, we can say with conviction that these are the best second career options out there.

We took a look at various suitable jobs for former police officers. Our primary sources for this research were Indeed, Glass Door, Inside Jobs and PayScale. We also employed the help of Google’s trusty search engine for any additional information regarding these jobs. We ranked the jobs based on annual median salary, thanks to the aforementioned websites, we were able to collect the data easily. The higher the annual median salary, the higher we have put the job on our list.

Without further ado, let’s get right into the list of the best second careers for retired police officers.

8. Security Officer

Median annual salary: $35,932

Thanks to the experience in the force, police officers are a top pick for the position of a security officer. They can get work at private security agency or corporate security agency without any problem. There are some security agencies out there that have been started by former police officers as well. So if you are feeling the entrepreneurial spirit, then you might try setting up an agency yourself.

7. Personal Fitness Trainer 

Median annual salary: $39,735

Police officers have to keep fit if they are to excel at their job. This gives them the edge when it comes to the job of a personal fitness trainer. We are not talking about getting buffed up, rather keeping fit and healthy. Many police officers will find this second career quite satisfying, as it offers very less stress and the payment is also very good. If you are a former police officer, then you need to teach people your daily fitness routine and get paid for that.

6. Fire Fighter

Median annual salary: $45,743

Police officers will find this job very familiar. Instead of saving lives from criminals, here they have to rescue people from fire and hazardous situations. Most police officers will already be trained for this type job and will possess the necessary courage required. However, you will have to put up with a certain degree of stress as a firefighter, and that can be a deal breaker for some to say the least. The pay is good, and you will be able to keep helping the people as well.

5. Private Detective or Investigator

Median annual salary: $49,472

As we mentioned before, police officers inherently possess keen observation skills and a knack for detecting foul play. This is one of the jobs for police officers in private sector. Both of these qualities will come handy if you choose to work as a private detective or investigator. You can expect to serve a wide variety of clients from individuals to big corporations. The bigger the number of cases you worked on, the greater the odds will be for you. This job is especially attractive to those who have worked as a detective in the force.

4. Financial Crimes Investigator 

Median annual salary: $52,618

We are halfway through our list of best second careers for retired police officers, and yet another lucrative career option for former police officers is Financial crimes investigator. Here they just have to deal with financial criminals as opposed to real criminals. This job is definitely far less risky and offers good payment. Though no one gets physically hurt as a result of a financial crime, such crimes can have a long-lasting effect on the victim. The job of a financial investigator is certainly quite important for the well being of society.

And now, let’s see the top three alternative careers for police officers.

3. Fraud Investigator

Median annual salary: $58,081

From the job title, you can tell that this job will be perfect for a former police officer. That said, fraud investigation is an umbrella term which encompasses the following fields,  insurance, forensic interviewing, auditing, and medicaid fraud investigation. Police officers have the edge here, as they had to deal with much worse situations in their previous career, and they possess the skills to identify fraudulent conduct better.

2. Bodyguard 

Median annual salary: $64,858

The title of this job which ranks second on our list of best second careers for retired police officers is pretty self-explanatory. You have to protect a certain individual or a group of individuals from threats. It takes a lot of courage, the ability to think on the feet and a lot of experience. For a former police officer, all these things should be akin to second nature. As you can see, the median annual salary of bodyguards in the United States is about sixty-five thousand dollars, which is nothing to scoff at. But the job is pretty stressful, so be careful before signing up.

Are you ready for the number one on our list of best second careers for retired police officers?

1. Intelligence Analyst 

Median annual salary: $66,275

The desire of keeping the neighborhood safe is the reason most people enroll in the police force. And as an intelligence analyst, you will get to do just but on a much larger scale. The primary responsibility of an intelligence analyst is to collect information from various sources and identify possible threats and vulnerabilities from external as and internal enemies. It is extremely important to determine the significance and reliability of the gathered intelligence, as literally thousands of lives depend on it.

This wraps it up for our list of 8 best second careers for retired police officers.