| Many officers in uniform yearn to be detectives until | | | | shoes. It is essential that there must be a good |
| they actually get that promotion. Little do they realize | | | | rapport between patrolmen and detectives. |
| that the hours are long, sleep is minimal, and the | | | | After being debriefed by the patrol officer, the |
| responsibility of an officer of his stature is | | | | detective performs the following duties: |
| tremendous. Normally, detectives must have at least | | | | - Determines if a search warrant is needed to |
| three years of law enforcement experience before | | | | conduct a search. |
| they can apply to become detective. In larger | | | | - Interviews the victim or victims repeatedly. |
| jurisdictions, they may be assigned to a specialized | | | | - Determines the status of the alleged offender. Is |
| unit such as homicide, burglary, auto theft, vice, or | | | | the offender in custody? Is he a minor? Has the |
| white collar. In many smaller police agencies, they | | | | offender been read his rights? |
| need to be proficient in whatever crime they are | | | | - Determines if the witnesses are only witnesses or |
| summoned to investigate. | | | | are heavily involved in the commission of the criminal |
| Upon arrival at the crime scene, the responding | | | | act. |
| uniformed officer explains the event to the | | | | - Reports the early status of the investigation to his |
| detective. The better the officer did his job, the | | | | superiors, uniformed officers, other detectives, and |
| better the knowledge the detective will have of the | | | | staff members. |
| crime scene and the events that occurred there. | | | | - Determines if other law enforcement agencies |
| Every detective is unique. Some are rough while | | | | should be contacted. |
| some are smooth. All the well-rounded ones have the | | | | - Maintains control over the flow of information. |
| practical knowledge of a street patrolman, an insight | | | | - Develops hypotheses regarding the incident based |
| on the forensic sciences, the knowledge of a | | | | on evidence. |
| prosecutor, and an ability to put together bits of | | | | The more serious and complex the crime scene, the |
| information, such as people, events, and evidence, in | | | | more time is required to gather and document |
| space and time in order to come up with an | | | | evidence. In the case of a murder scene, the |
| investigative scenario of the crime that took place. | | | | detective has the choice not to gather or touch the |
| A detective ensures that all the duties of a patrolman | | | | evidence but leaves this up to highly-trained crime |
| have been completed at the scene. A good | | | | scene personnel to process the scene. |
| detective not only knows that the case is dependent | | | | No doubt the job responsibility of a police detective |
| on what the first responding officer did, but also | | | | is overwhelming. |
| remembers what it was like to be in the patrolman's | | | | |