The civilian areas of each police department are also fascinating. Not every person is meant to go into 
law enforcement as a police officer. It is a strenuous and stressful job that attracts many but only made 
for a few elite. However, don’t fret; there are many options in the law enforcement realm. Putting on a 
bullet-proof vest, filling a holster with a semi-automatic handgun, and continually training to be in tip-top 
condition does not appeal to everyone, so there are still many jobs available in the law enforcement arena. 
Civilians are the other half of the equation and are a much-needed commodity for every law enforcement 
agency. When a citizen dials 9-1-1, a dispatcher answers the phone, and that dispatcher is a civilian. When 
a police officer finds heroin on a suspect and takes custody of it and later books it into evidence at the police 
station, the evidence technician is the civilian that logs and follows through with the chain of custody for 
the heroin evidence. Civilians are just as important as the commissioned positions at a law enforcement 
agency. 
Example civilian positions at law enforcement agencies: 
• 
Dispatch/911 Operator 
• 
Records 
• 
Crime Analysis 
• 
Forensic Unit/CSI 
• 
Training 
• 
Fleet Management 
• 
Support/Facilities 
• 
Human Resources 
• 
Operations Support Unit 
• 
Recruitment Coordinator 
• 
Volunteer Coordinator 
• 
Administrative Support 
• 
Plus Many More ++ 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
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