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What is the most challenging thing about being a criminal investigator?
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6 answers
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Bernie’s Answer
It really depends what type of investigation you are talking about as each has it's own set of challenges. Some investigations, the greatest challenge may be in getting cooperation from the community as Jorge speaks to. Some challenges might be within yourself as your personal opinion and beliefs have to be put on hold so that you remain fair and impartial. Some investigations may require specialized training to perform at your best. I was a Trooper and Criminal Investigator for 29 years and each specific investigative unit I worked in had it's own set of challenges.
If you want a more generalized or specific answer I can provide this based on where your questions take the conversation
Bernie recommends the following next steps:
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Jorge’s Answer
One of the most challenging issues I encountered as a criminal investigator was the fact that in many low income areas, witnesses are hard press to provide information due to them being identified as informants. To get around this I would leave a number in some instances so people could call anonymous to provide information. We would also release press releases of crimes so people could call in anonymously.
Another way to get around this is to identify the person as an informant in the narrative of the police report, and to invoke the officer's privilege, a legal term to not disclose the persons name and or identity, this information is only provided to the judge in an in camera hearing, another legal term, where this meeting takes place usually in a judges chambers and the defense attorneys are not allowed to attend this meeting.
Another issue was dealing with dead bodies or being around them; to get over this I volunteered to attend and complete autopsy investigations and this got me thru this issue.
Another way to get around this is to identify the person as an informant in the narrative of the police report, and to invoke the officer's privilege, a legal term to not disclose the persons name and or identity, this information is only provided to the judge in an in camera hearing, another legal term, where this meeting takes place usually in a judges chambers and the defense attorneys are not allowed to attend this meeting.
Another issue was dealing with dead bodies or being around them; to get over this I volunteered to attend and complete autopsy investigations and this got me thru this issue.
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Tammy’s Answer
The most challenging issue for me, as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) in white-collar crime, was following the money and the mountains of paperwork that went along with the more complex cases. It became a giant puzzle of information that slowly took shape and created a story that became irrefutable in an interview of the subject(s). Prosecutors loved these "gift-wrapped" cases. In white-collar investigations, patience is tested when it comes to putting those puzzles together. Unlike the local/State law enforcement, the Federal white-collar cases can be very tedious and many LEOs joke that paper cuts were our worse enemies; however, I found the process of elimination gratifying. (Yes, I've been accused of being somewhat cerebral, i.e. a nerd.) As in the above statements, the next step of obtaining verbal confirmation and/or witness testimony was difficult. Once training and experience are obtained in the field, you learn to deal with those roadblocks, if possible.
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Jonathan’s Answer
Safely persuing the info you have for enough that a complaint, arrest.
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Tom’s Answer
Finding customers
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Brett’s Answer
It all depends on what type of investigation you are performing. It might be finding a person, finding a witness, getting an AUSA to back your investigative plan or something else completely. For me the most challenging thing was making sure I tracked everything I was doing to make sure that my case notes weren't missing anything like a phone call that I made in a hurry, an address I eliminated as a potential location for a subject or any of the myriad details a good case is built on.