Detective

:To see the article about the Nintendo game, see Gumshoe (video game).

Detectives and their work

Becoming a detective

In most American police departments, a candidate for detective must have served as a uniformed officer for a period of one to five years before becoming qualified for the position. Prospective British police detectives must have completed two years as a uniformed officer before applying to join the Criminal Investigation Department. In European police systems, most detectives are university graduates who join directly from civilian life without first serving as uniformed officers. In fact, many European police experts cannot understand why British, American and Commonwealth police forces insist on recruiting their detectives from the ranks of uniformed officers, arguing that they do a completely different job and therefore require completely different training, qualifications, qualities and abilities. The opposing argument is that without previous service as a uniformed patrol officer a detective cannot have a great enough command of standard police procedures and problems and will find it difficult to work with uniformed colleagues.

Related Topics:
British police - Criminal Investigation Department - Commonwealth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Detectives obtain their position by competitive examination, covering such subjects as:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Principles, practices and procedures of investigations
• Principles, practices and procedures of interviewing and interrogation
• Local criminal law and procedures
• Applicable law governing arrests, search and seizures, warrants and evidence
• Police department records and reports
• Principles, practices and objectives of courtroom testimony
• Police department methods and procedures

Private detectives are licensed by the state in which they live after passing a competitive examination and a criminal background check. Some states, such as Maryland, require a period of classroom training as well.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~