How do I become a homicide detective?
Specifically, I'd like to work in Austria, so if you have advice for that, that'd be great,
but the general European regulation and requirements would suffice too.
I've always been interested in crime and detective work, and I'd love to be a homicide detective. Would I have to be a police officer first?
Thanks.
#law #homicidedetective #austria #europe # #criminal-justice # #police # #law-enforcement
2 answers
Michael’s Answer
Attend university (in person or on-line) and study German for 2-4 years. Austrian law enforcement agencies (like every nation) tend to hire their own native citizens first, and give their military veterans PRIORITY.
An Garda Síochána is far more likely to hire you, an Irish resident, after a term with the IDF. Spend 2-4 years as a Garda, and positions will be available with An Biúró Náisiúnta um Imscrúdú Coiriúil (Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (GNBCI)) for a veteran and a well educated woman.
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Austria? The Federal Police (Bundespolizei) is the national and principal law enforcement agency of Austria. Within the Bundespolezei, the Kriminalbeamtenkorps (Detective Corps) is the equivalent to Scotland Yard, the FBI, or GNBCI across the nation.
In my humble opinion, your best bet to work there would be to attend school (Universitaet) in Wien (Vienna) or Universität Innsbruck, or JKU Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, as an international student (assuming you hold an EU passport). Master the German language and Austrian dialects, date Austrians, and perhaps marry an Austrian and become a naturalized Austrian citizen.
Then you may have the opportunity to be hired by the Bundespolizei and work towards becoming a Kriminal Detektevin.
Michael recommends the following next steps:
Mark’s Answer
I am a police officer in America and am not familiar with the organizational and management structure of law enforcement agencies in Austria, however it is my understanding that there are some fairly universal procedures for law enforcement agencies around the world and maybe I can be of assist to you. I have been a police officer for 34 years and during my career I was a homicide detective for just over 5 years. Before promoting into the Detective Bureau I was a patrol officer on the street, in a patrol car, for 6 years. In my agency, and the vast majority of American law enforcement agencies, officers must start off working on patrol in order to gain the experience it takes to properly investigate any crime. Then with the proper amount of street investigative experience officers can promote into the rank of detective. It is my understanding that just about every law enforcement agency in the world is structured in essentially the same way. The amount of experience that is required on the street can differ, and can differ drastically, from agency to agency and country to country but there is usually some basic and rudimentary experience required before promoting to detective and before someone would be tasked with the entailed and complex investigation that is required in any homicide investigation.
I hope this helps you. I also hope that you find all the answers to your questions and that you have a wonderful career in law enforcement. I found it to be very rewarding and I hope that you do also.
Best Regards,
Mark