3 answers
Becki
Student
Kalamazoo, Michigan
1
Question
Asked
578 views
High School Career Class Questions Detective?
I have an assignment to learn about careers in Criminology, but I do not have any contacts to interview. Would you help me? I need 2 from a detective, crime scene investigator, forensics, professor, forensic psychology, criminal justice, lawyer, etc.
Job Title?
Full Time/Part Time?
3 day to day tasks?
Types of projects?
Degree?
School?
Entry Level Job for this career?
2-3 things you like about your job
2-3 things you don't like
Where else could you work with your degree
3 answers
Walter Ozeki
Retired law enforcement and current security professional
33
Answers
Honolulu, Hawaii
Updated
Walter’s Answer
Hello Becki,
I am a retired law enforcement professional. My career spanned thirty years as part of this I served as a Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Major. Much of this time was spent within the Criminal Investigations Division, or what many people refer to as the Detectives Division.
This was a full time job.
3 day to day tasks of a Detective include:
Reviewing any cases assigned to you from the previous days including statements, evidence recovered and leads etc.
If you are assigned to handle an arrest during the course of your day you would respond to the scene, ensure evidence is recovered and the scene is properly processed. Interview the suspect to try to obtain a confession, write search warrants when necessary, and have the case reviewed by a prosecuting attorney.
Writing reports constantly.
Projects that you may be involved in include addressing crime trends and persons of interest believed to be committing crimes such as crime sprees (this is targeted enforcement). You also may be asked to provide speaking engagements as requested by various organizations including schools and community groups.
I have a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Hawaii and graduated from the Drug Enforcement Agencies, Drug commander academy, I also hold numerous certifications relating to criminal investigations and police work.
You always start out as an officer or on the civilian side for a crime scene investigator, as a crime scene evidence technician.
You get to truly perform a job that matters and provides a sense of satisfaction. You are able to hopefully keep your community a great place for everyone that lives there.
Don't like the long hours and the job can be very stressful at times.
With my particular degree, I could perform any job that requires a general degree, but as a choice, I would probably seek out additional education and get into social work or something similar. After retiring I continue to work as the Director of Security at a luxury hotel.
I am a retired law enforcement professional. My career spanned thirty years as part of this I served as a Officer, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Major. Much of this time was spent within the Criminal Investigations Division, or what many people refer to as the Detectives Division.
This was a full time job.
3 day to day tasks of a Detective include:
Reviewing any cases assigned to you from the previous days including statements, evidence recovered and leads etc.
If you are assigned to handle an arrest during the course of your day you would respond to the scene, ensure evidence is recovered and the scene is properly processed. Interview the suspect to try to obtain a confession, write search warrants when necessary, and have the case reviewed by a prosecuting attorney.
Writing reports constantly.
Projects that you may be involved in include addressing crime trends and persons of interest believed to be committing crimes such as crime sprees (this is targeted enforcement). You also may be asked to provide speaking engagements as requested by various organizations including schools and community groups.
I have a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Hawaii and graduated from the Drug Enforcement Agencies, Drug commander academy, I also hold numerous certifications relating to criminal investigations and police work.
You always start out as an officer or on the civilian side for a crime scene investigator, as a crime scene evidence technician.
You get to truly perform a job that matters and provides a sense of satisfaction. You are able to hopefully keep your community a great place for everyone that lives there.
Don't like the long hours and the job can be very stressful at times.
With my particular degree, I could perform any job that requires a general degree, but as a choice, I would probably seek out additional education and get into social work or something similar. After retiring I continue to work as the Director of Security at a luxury hotel.
Michael W. Blanchette
Law Enforcement Professional - Experienced Auto Theft, Fire & Insurance Fraud Investigator
12
Answers
Boston, Massachusetts
Updated
Michael W.’s Answer
Job Title :
I currently work part time for the NH State Police as a Program Assistant, and I am assigned to the Criminal Records Unit, and specialize in Fingerprints/Fingerprinting. I previously worked 31 years as a full time city police officer/detective.
3 day to day tasks:
Day to day tasks really depended on what my current assignment was at the time. I was given many specialty assignments during my full time career which included: Patrol Officer, Detective, Traffic Enforcement Unit, Sexual Assault Investigator, Fire/Explosives Investigator, Insurance Fraud Task Force, and Governors Auto Theft Task Force. Some things we did do day to day no matter what assignment we were working were:
*Attend Roll Call at the beginning of the shift to obtain and also share important information with other officers. The sharing/networking of information with your fellow officers both in your dept. and also other local departments is KEY to solving crime!
*Interact with the public as much as possible in a professional/positive way. Park, get OUT of your cruiser and visit businesses, make appearances at public events (school sports games, celebrations ect) between calls for service. Most people have had very little contact with the police, and when they have, it most likely was a result of a negative incident.
*Treat people like you would expect to be treated in the same situation. You are a public servant and are expected to be professional, helpful, show empathy and be fair.
Degree:
Associates Degree in Criminal Justice
School:
Community College
Entry Level Job for this career:
Prior to my career as a police officer, I worked full time as;
*General Security Officer/Supervisor
*Hospital Security Officer
*Retail Loss Prevention Detective/Manager
2-3 things you like about your job:
*Interacting with different people of various backgrounds, cultures, ect
*Not knowing what kind of call or case you might be responding to at a moment's notice.
*Helping people, and advocating for victims, some of which are no longer with us (murder victim ect)
2-3 things you don't like:
*Having to Work Holidays, weekends, shifts until you gain seniority and are able to take them off to spend time with family.
*Seeing some things that any human should NOT have to see (dead bodies, injured/physically abused children ect)
*Low Base Pay. Most Police Officers have to work a LOT of overtime to make a descent paycheck.
Where else could you work with your degree:
*Retail Loss Prevention
*Security
*Fraud Investigator
*Forensics
*Private Investigator
*Victim/Witness Advocate
*Court Officer
*Corrections Officer
*Sheriff's Dept.
*Environmental Police
*Park Ranger
*Federal Agent (FBI, ATF, DEA)
I currently work part time for the NH State Police as a Program Assistant, and I am assigned to the Criminal Records Unit, and specialize in Fingerprints/Fingerprinting. I previously worked 31 years as a full time city police officer/detective.
3 day to day tasks:
Day to day tasks really depended on what my current assignment was at the time. I was given many specialty assignments during my full time career which included: Patrol Officer, Detective, Traffic Enforcement Unit, Sexual Assault Investigator, Fire/Explosives Investigator, Insurance Fraud Task Force, and Governors Auto Theft Task Force. Some things we did do day to day no matter what assignment we were working were:
*Attend Roll Call at the beginning of the shift to obtain and also share important information with other officers. The sharing/networking of information with your fellow officers both in your dept. and also other local departments is KEY to solving crime!
*Interact with the public as much as possible in a professional/positive way. Park, get OUT of your cruiser and visit businesses, make appearances at public events (school sports games, celebrations ect) between calls for service. Most people have had very little contact with the police, and when they have, it most likely was a result of a negative incident.
*Treat people like you would expect to be treated in the same situation. You are a public servant and are expected to be professional, helpful, show empathy and be fair.
Degree:
Associates Degree in Criminal Justice
School:
Community College
Entry Level Job for this career:
Prior to my career as a police officer, I worked full time as;
*General Security Officer/Supervisor
*Hospital Security Officer
*Retail Loss Prevention Detective/Manager
2-3 things you like about your job:
*Interacting with different people of various backgrounds, cultures, ect
*Not knowing what kind of call or case you might be responding to at a moment's notice.
*Helping people, and advocating for victims, some of which are no longer with us (murder victim ect)
2-3 things you don't like:
*Having to Work Holidays, weekends, shifts until you gain seniority and are able to take them off to spend time with family.
*Seeing some things that any human should NOT have to see (dead bodies, injured/physically abused children ect)
*Low Base Pay. Most Police Officers have to work a LOT of overtime to make a descent paycheck.
Where else could you work with your degree:
*Retail Loss Prevention
*Security
*Fraud Investigator
*Forensics
*Private Investigator
*Victim/Witness Advocate
*Court Officer
*Corrections Officer
*Sheriff's Dept.
*Environmental Police
*Park Ranger
*Federal Agent (FBI, ATF, DEA)
Robert Comstock
Parole Agent
13
Answers
Port Hueneme, California
Updated
Robert’s Answer
Job title: Parole Agent (Adult)
Retired 22 years .
Write reports (Arrest, evaluate, progress. Supervise Adult Parolees in the Community, and investigate crimes committed by parolees in cooperative with local law enforcement’ and Superior Court
Projects include follows trends in the Correction and rehabilitate industry include statistics and community partnerships with homeless, employment, mental and social drug treatment.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Criminology with a Minor in Penology from California State Unversity Hayward, now CSU East Bay. I have also completed California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation s Academy plus 20 years as a Master at Arms in the US Navy.
Most start as Corrections Officer in CDCR (prisons) but you can start as a Parole Agent I
What I like and don’t like I love the independence of the job. I can fix my own hours, I get to travel around the State depending on my caseload. I feel or rather felt I was helping my clients but more importantly protecting the public and I spoke with and interacted with a wide variation of people. I hated the constant interference by politicians as well as budget constraints and the large workload of cases, never enough time to really do my job correct.
I can work in any law enforcement’ position as well as any correctional facility. I could be an instructor. I could work in any social services position.
Good luck with your project Becki
Retired 22 years .
Write reports (Arrest, evaluate, progress. Supervise Adult Parolees in the Community, and investigate crimes committed by parolees in cooperative with local law enforcement’ and Superior Court
Projects include follows trends in the Correction and rehabilitate industry include statistics and community partnerships with homeless, employment, mental and social drug treatment.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Criminology with a Minor in Penology from California State Unversity Hayward, now CSU East Bay. I have also completed California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation s Academy plus 20 years as a Master at Arms in the US Navy.
Most start as Corrections Officer in CDCR (prisons) but you can start as a Parole Agent I
What I like and don’t like I love the independence of the job. I can fix my own hours, I get to travel around the State depending on my caseload. I feel or rather felt I was helping my clients but more importantly protecting the public and I spoke with and interacted with a wide variation of people. I hated the constant interference by politicians as well as budget constraints and the large workload of cases, never enough time to really do my job correct.
I can work in any law enforcement’ position as well as any correctional facility. I could be an instructor. I could work in any social services position.
Good luck with your project Becki
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