Examining employment and diversity in the protective service occupations

Asians, Hispanics or Latinos, and women have been underrepresented in protective service occupations relative to their shares of total employment, despite increases in minorities’ shares of total U.S. employment. African Americans have been overrepresented relative to their shares of total employment, however, the African American employment share in protective service occupations is not representative of each protective service occupation. For example, their share of employment in first-line supervisors of police and detectives and their share in police and sheriff's patrol officers have been much lower than their share in protective service occupations as a whole since at least 2003. The share of women in protective service occupations has consistently been less than half of their share in total employment. The protective service occupations are a vital occupational group, providing security and emergency services throughout the United States.