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angelica
Student
Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa
1
Question
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how and where can i start for becoming a detective
#law #criminal-justice #police #law #law-enforcement #detective
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3 answers
Paladin "Pj" Jordan, CPP
Private detective
7
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Paladin "Pj"’s Answer
This answer only applies to becoming a detective in the USA. The process for becoming a detective in South Africa may be different.
In the USA, detectives and investigators are the same. The duty of a detective/investigator is to search for the truth. There are two types of detectives: public and private.
Public detectives work for the government. Public means the money needed to pay for the detective services comes from taxes and fees paid by citizens. For example, if a detective works for the New York City Police Department, her salary, equipment, patrol car, radio, etc. are paid from money citizens pay in taxes and fees to the New York City government.
Also, in the USA there are four main levels of government. Examples:
Level 1: City - New York City, New York / City Example 2 - Chicago, Illinois
Level 2: County - County of New York / County Example 2 - Cook County, Illinois
Level 3: State - State of New York / State Example 3 - State of Illinois
Level 4: Federal - United States of America / Federal Example 4 - United States of America
In the USA there are 17,000 different police agencies. Some agencies are called police departments. Each agency has their own police officers and/or detectives. Each police department has their own chief of police, their own job duties, their own job requirements and their own uniforms, their own rules and regulations, etc.
There are many different types of public police detectives. Some, like the public detectives described above, investigate crimes and arrest criminals. However, there are many other types of detectives. Here are examples of other public investigators: child abuse, public health, elder abuse, workplace conditions, meat and livestock, restaurants, etc.
The other type of detective is a private detective. Private detectives are hired by private citizens to work on a specific case. In other words, private detectives are paid directly by the person or company that hires them. Private detectives (also called "P.I.s") are hired to perform many of the same duties that public detectives do.
For example: let's say you discover you were adopted as an infant and now as an adult you want to find your birth parents. You can hire a private detective to locate your birth parents. You can also hire P.I.s to investigate crimes, search for offenders, stolen property, and locate and interview witnesses. Private detectives are also used to help a person prove they did not commit a crime.
Here are skills good public and private detectives should possess:
1. Good communication skills. This means being a good listener and speaker. Good investigators are able to make crime victims, witnesses and criminals feel comfortable enough to share their personal, and even embarrassing, information with the investigator.
2. Good observation skills. This means being able to use all your senses to recognize evidence and clues in common and uncommon places.
3. Good written communication skills. Detectives spend a lot of time writing reports. They write reports to show others what they observed, what they did, what victims, witnesses, and suspects said, how they collected evidence, how they followed the law, and what laws were broken and more. Many people (lawyers, judges, police supervisors, other detectives, victims, etc) read and rely on detective reports to understand what happened during the incident and the investigation.
4. Good Ethics. Ethics means doing the correct thing, even when you think no one may find out. Detectives must obey the law. There are just as many laws and rules for detectives as there are for ordinary citizens. There are certain laws in place for law enforcement to follow to ensure every citizen receives fair treatment, justice, and an opportunity to defend themselves when they are accused of a crime. When detectives act unethically, they increase the risk that innocent persons may be found guilty of crimes they did not commit.
5. Perseverance. "Difficult Does Not Equal Impossible." This means a detective should not give up trying to solve a crime just because it requires a lot of work. Many times detectives investigate cases without access to all the "puzzle pieces." These cases can be stressful, challenging, and frustrating. A good detective doesn't give up easily.
There are other important skills good detectives should possess. These above are my top 5.
NOW, let's talk about how and where to start to become a detective. In the USA, there are several ways to start. If you're under 18, I suggest starting at your school. Talk with your guidance counselor or any school official. One of the jobs of school officials is to assist you in finding out information about future education and career options. Someone in your school has knowledge about how to learn more about various careers.
The school official also knows how to contact and communicate with career professionals and others. Just about every law enforcement agency in the USA has a recruitment team. Just like the military, law enforcement agencies are always looking toward the future. The best way to hire good, energetic, law enforcement officers and detectives is to meet and interact with them at a young age. Ask your guidance counselor when law enforcement agency recruiters will be holding events at your school and/or in your community.
If no one at your school has any information about law enforcement recruiting, go online and Google any police department's recruitment information. Likely, there will be at least one person assigned as a recruitment information officer. The recruiter's job is answer questions about working for the police department, the hiring process, salary and benefit details, and perhaps even arrange a "ride-along" with a patrol officer.
If you're 18 or over, check with your local community college. One focus of community colleges is to assist you in learning more about careers and professional development opportunities. In fact, many law enforcement officers attend and teach at community colleges. You may find yourself attending classes with officers who are also seeking professional development opportunities. I returned to college at Joilet Junior College because I wanted to earn my B.A. degree.
At 28, I decided to return to college. As a married father of two small children, Joliet Junior College (JJC) was the perfect fit for me. I was also working as a state trooper at the time. Plus, I was working rotating shifts (2 weeks on days, followed by 2 weeks on afternoons, and then 2 weeks on midnights. Then back to days for 2 weeks. Ouch!). JJC had flexible class hours and a day care center for kids to stay while parents attended class.
Anyway, I earned an associates degree there; and then a bachelors degree from Governors State University 3 years later. During my time at JJC, I chatted with many fellow students who asked me many questions about being a police officer. After obtaining my Bachelors degree, I returned to JJC to teach law enforcement classes and workshops.
A third way to learn about becoming a detective is to look for employment opportunities in private detective firms. Many firms have positions for new investigators with little or no experience.
A fourth way is to look at employment opportunities in business firms. For example, firms like Target, WalMart, etc., have open positions available for Loss Prevention detectives.
All of the options listed above offer excellent on-the-job detective training. You'll learn about interviewing, writing reports, the law, the investigative process, surveillance, anymore.
In the USA, detectives and investigators are the same. The duty of a detective/investigator is to search for the truth. There are two types of detectives: public and private.
Public detectives work for the government. Public means the money needed to pay for the detective services comes from taxes and fees paid by citizens. For example, if a detective works for the New York City Police Department, her salary, equipment, patrol car, radio, etc. are paid from money citizens pay in taxes and fees to the New York City government.
Also, in the USA there are four main levels of government. Examples:
Level 1: City - New York City, New York / City Example 2 - Chicago, Illinois
Level 2: County - County of New York / County Example 2 - Cook County, Illinois
Level 3: State - State of New York / State Example 3 - State of Illinois
Level 4: Federal - United States of America / Federal Example 4 - United States of America
In the USA there are 17,000 different police agencies. Some agencies are called police departments. Each agency has their own police officers and/or detectives. Each police department has their own chief of police, their own job duties, their own job requirements and their own uniforms, their own rules and regulations, etc.
There are many different types of public police detectives. Some, like the public detectives described above, investigate crimes and arrest criminals. However, there are many other types of detectives. Here are examples of other public investigators: child abuse, public health, elder abuse, workplace conditions, meat and livestock, restaurants, etc.
The other type of detective is a private detective. Private detectives are hired by private citizens to work on a specific case. In other words, private detectives are paid directly by the person or company that hires them. Private detectives (also called "P.I.s") are hired to perform many of the same duties that public detectives do.
For example: let's say you discover you were adopted as an infant and now as an adult you want to find your birth parents. You can hire a private detective to locate your birth parents. You can also hire P.I.s to investigate crimes, search for offenders, stolen property, and locate and interview witnesses. Private detectives are also used to help a person prove they did not commit a crime.
Here are skills good public and private detectives should possess:
1. Good communication skills. This means being a good listener and speaker. Good investigators are able to make crime victims, witnesses and criminals feel comfortable enough to share their personal, and even embarrassing, information with the investigator.
2. Good observation skills. This means being able to use all your senses to recognize evidence and clues in common and uncommon places.
3. Good written communication skills. Detectives spend a lot of time writing reports. They write reports to show others what they observed, what they did, what victims, witnesses, and suspects said, how they collected evidence, how they followed the law, and what laws were broken and more. Many people (lawyers, judges, police supervisors, other detectives, victims, etc) read and rely on detective reports to understand what happened during the incident and the investigation.
4. Good Ethics. Ethics means doing the correct thing, even when you think no one may find out. Detectives must obey the law. There are just as many laws and rules for detectives as there are for ordinary citizens. There are certain laws in place for law enforcement to follow to ensure every citizen receives fair treatment, justice, and an opportunity to defend themselves when they are accused of a crime. When detectives act unethically, they increase the risk that innocent persons may be found guilty of crimes they did not commit.
5. Perseverance. "Difficult Does Not Equal Impossible." This means a detective should not give up trying to solve a crime just because it requires a lot of work. Many times detectives investigate cases without access to all the "puzzle pieces." These cases can be stressful, challenging, and frustrating. A good detective doesn't give up easily.
There are other important skills good detectives should possess. These above are my top 5.
NOW, let's talk about how and where to start to become a detective. In the USA, there are several ways to start. If you're under 18, I suggest starting at your school. Talk with your guidance counselor or any school official. One of the jobs of school officials is to assist you in finding out information about future education and career options. Someone in your school has knowledge about how to learn more about various careers.
The school official also knows how to contact and communicate with career professionals and others. Just about every law enforcement agency in the USA has a recruitment team. Just like the military, law enforcement agencies are always looking toward the future. The best way to hire good, energetic, law enforcement officers and detectives is to meet and interact with them at a young age. Ask your guidance counselor when law enforcement agency recruiters will be holding events at your school and/or in your community.
If no one at your school has any information about law enforcement recruiting, go online and Google any police department's recruitment information. Likely, there will be at least one person assigned as a recruitment information officer. The recruiter's job is answer questions about working for the police department, the hiring process, salary and benefit details, and perhaps even arrange a "ride-along" with a patrol officer.
If you're 18 or over, check with your local community college. One focus of community colleges is to assist you in learning more about careers and professional development opportunities. In fact, many law enforcement officers attend and teach at community colleges. You may find yourself attending classes with officers who are also seeking professional development opportunities. I returned to college at Joilet Junior College because I wanted to earn my B.A. degree.
At 28, I decided to return to college. As a married father of two small children, Joliet Junior College (JJC) was the perfect fit for me. I was also working as a state trooper at the time. Plus, I was working rotating shifts (2 weeks on days, followed by 2 weeks on afternoons, and then 2 weeks on midnights. Then back to days for 2 weeks. Ouch!). JJC had flexible class hours and a day care center for kids to stay while parents attended class.
Anyway, I earned an associates degree there; and then a bachelors degree from Governors State University 3 years later. During my time at JJC, I chatted with many fellow students who asked me many questions about being a police officer. After obtaining my Bachelors degree, I returned to JJC to teach law enforcement classes and workshops.
A third way to learn about becoming a detective is to look for employment opportunities in private detective firms. Many firms have positions for new investigators with little or no experience.
A fourth way is to look at employment opportunities in business firms. For example, firms like Target, WalMart, etc., have open positions available for Loss Prevention detectives.
All of the options listed above offer excellent on-the-job detective training. You'll learn about interviewing, writing reports, the law, the investigative process, surveillance, anymore.
I learned so much just reading your answer. Thank you so much for taking your time to provide all this information when you didn't have to. Detectives like you are the best guidance for future detectives. I definitely look forward to hearing your journey as a private detective
Ndeye
Robert Comstock
Parole Agent
13
Answers
Port Hueneme, California
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Hello in the United States I would suggest starting by contacting your local or State law enforcement agency and asking if they have an apprenticeship or internship program. Attend college or university and study Criminology. Most detectives are promoted from within departments, joined a state or locally agency will be required.
An important aspect of all law enforcement work is knowing how to write reports and investigators need to also do quality research. Detective reports are a cumulation of many people (ie. on scene police, CSI, interviews) and will be seen and referenced by District Attorney’s , Defense Attorney’s , Judges and more, so writing is very important.
Learn to read people and how to interview especially how to use open ended questions rather than closed ended questions. Finally Study. Study for tests police exams, detective exams, etc.
Hope this helps
An important aspect of all law enforcement work is knowing how to write reports and investigators need to also do quality research. Detective reports are a cumulation of many people (ie. on scene police, CSI, interviews) and will be seen and referenced by District Attorney’s , Defense Attorney’s , Judges and more, so writing is very important.
Learn to read people and how to interview especially how to use open ended questions rather than closed ended questions. Finally Study. Study for tests police exams, detective exams, etc.
Hope this helps
Zahid Iqbal
Software Engineer
119
Answers
Austin, Texas
Updated
Zahid’s Answer
If there's a specific city/police department you would like to work with then it would be a good idea to contact them and ask to speak to the chief or a detective about doing an informational interview with them on this topic and ask them every thing from what you can do now, where to start and how to get there.
In general, it's something like this:
Specific educational requirements vary from one police department to the next. It’s typically necessary to have a high school diploma and in most cases a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or in a field related to criminal justice. Advanced degrees and certificates aren’t always mandatory, but they can help aspiring detectives compete for the best jobs.
Most police departments also require detectives to complete training at the local police academy and spend a few years as patrol officers, gaining valuable experience in the law enforcement system. Upon completion of a few years of patrol, officers take a promotional exam to become detectives. It is a competitive civil service process. The combination of education and professional experience prepares police officers for promotion to the rank of detective.
Visit this link for more information: https://www.ucf.edu/online/criminal-justice/news/how-to-become-a-detective/
In general, it's something like this:
Specific educational requirements vary from one police department to the next. It’s typically necessary to have a high school diploma and in most cases a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or in a field related to criminal justice. Advanced degrees and certificates aren’t always mandatory, but they can help aspiring detectives compete for the best jobs.
Most police departments also require detectives to complete training at the local police academy and spend a few years as patrol officers, gaining valuable experience in the law enforcement system. Upon completion of a few years of patrol, officers take a promotional exam to become detectives. It is a competitive civil service process. The combination of education and professional experience prepares police officers for promotion to the rank of detective.
Visit this link for more information: https://www.ucf.edu/online/criminal-justice/news/how-to-become-a-detective/