Civil police refers to the investigative state police forces in Brazil). They are agencies of the public administration of the states and of the Federal District of Brazil, and their aim is to exercise functions of judiciary police and the exercise of activities of administrative and security police, which are indispensable to the preservation of the juridical order, to the promotion of the harmonic life of the community, and to guarantee citizens rights and liberty).

In the United States, civilian police officers work for the Department of Defense (the DoD police), an agency like the National Security Administration, state or local law enforcement, or any of the branches of the United States Armed Forces. They investigate crimes and enforce laws on government-owned property, or they work in important ancillary efforts, such as community policing, neighborhood watch programs, or crime scene investigations. Their responsibilities can also involve asset and access control, incident and emergency response, theft prevention, and security inspections.

In India, a civil police officer is the lowest rank in the Kerala Police, followed by a Senior Civil Police Officer. They play a crucial role in maintaining law and order in Kerala and are the backbone of the police force. Civil police officers work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of the public. They may serve in any of the branches, including the Local Police (District Police), State Special Branch, Crime Branch, Coastal Police, Headquarters, State Crime Records Bureau, Training Division, and others. They serve in other departments on a deputation basis, including Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) and others.