| Police Detective: A Police Officer Career For The | | | | and authority as enforcers of the law, especially since |
| Taking | | | | they are licensed to carry firearms. |
| Police Detectives as Portrayed in the Media | | | | As you can see, the real police detective is not your |
| Police detective TV series are on the rise. In fact, | | | | typical hero of the day as depicted in TV shows that |
| not one, but three Crime Scene Investigators or CSI | | | | people believe will always do the right thing. In the |
| TV series are available for public viewing: CSI New | | | | real world, these people are always faced with a |
| York, CSI Miami and CSI Las Vegas. Before, | | | | choice to do the wrong or right thing. |
| televiewers were already content with the action and | | | | What Does A Police Detective Do? |
| suspense scenes that were packaged with police and | | | | A police detective conducts investigations to be able |
| detective TV shows, but now, they are clamoring | | | | to solve crimes or prevent one from happening. |
| for more. | | | | When a crime is committed, a police detective will |
| It seems that the adventure and mysterious air that | | | | examine the crime scene, obtain clues, and gather |
| comes along with a police or detective work sparked | | | | evidence to try to piece together a real-life puzzle. |
| the curiosity of televiewers. People do not only want | | | | Throughout the duration of the case, the police |
| to know whodunit; they want to know the 'How' of | | | | detective will have to record its progress and keep |
| catching the perpetrator. These wants of televiewers | | | | tabs on suspects by maintaining contact with them |
| are the inspiration behind the creation of the CSI TV | | | | directly or indirectly. After sufficient evidence has |
| series and other similar TV shows. | | | | been gathered, he can submit a report to his superior |
| What people don't know, however, is that police | | | | recommending for the issuance of a warrant for the |
| detectives have an important and risky job that can | | | | suspect. Only a commanding officer or a magistrate |
| bring a sense of excitement and adventure as well as | | | | can authorize a warrant. |
| fear and grief. Also, what is usually presented on TV | | | | Handling a case can be quite a journey for a police |
| is a filtered and hyped-up version of a police | | | | detective; he will have to look into every possibility |
| detective's life. | | | | while at the same time maintaining the necessary |
| Police Detectives of the Real World | | | | course of the case. Information can be gathered |
| Job wise, the detective processes are more | | | | from governmental agencies, and from the result of |
| painstaking and laborious. It usually takes more time | | | | interviews of complainants or witnesses. More so, the |
| and effort from a police detective to solve a crime | | | | course of the case will be supported further by |
| than what is depicted in TV shows. | | | | conducting polygraph tests on the suspects, and |
| For example, a particular case may require a police | | | | depending on the clues obtained from the crime |
| detective to interview each and every person in a | | | | scene, fingerprint tests and other related tests can |
| neighborhood within five blocks from the crime scene. | | | | be conducted to fortify evidence. |
| Now, interviews and inquiries are all part of a | | | | The work of a police detective, however, does not |
| detective's work. Imagine the effort required from a | | | | end here. A police detective will afterwards have to |
| detective to get to know different types of | | | | testify before the courts and stand as a witness. He |
| people-having different personalities and coming from | | | | will have to testify on the truthfulness and accuracy |
| different societies and races-make them feel safe | | | | of his investigation for it to have a bearing before |
| and comfortable, while at the same time assessing | | | | the court. |
| their answers and reviewing their actions or reactions | | | | Characteristics Of A Police Detective |
| if they have some knowledge on the case. At the | | | | A police detective has to have certain characteristics |
| end of the day, a police detective has to filter out | | | | to be able to experience growth in his career. Basic |
| the interviews and scan the possibilities to at least | | | | abilities such as reading comprehension and writing, |
| figure out a suspect or lead. | | | | and speaking are important necessities. He needs to |
| The work of a police detective is also characterized | | | | be able to communicate effectively in both written |
| by a chain of command present in military and police | | | | and oral aspects, as well as be capable of |
| organizations. One subordinate police detective might | | | | understanding formed sentences and paragraphs. |
| be doing a particular work under a case while another | | | | A police detective must be capable of active learning. |
| does something different under the same case, | | | | Active learning is simply to understand or perceive |
| although both are in the dark, unaware of the real | | | | the possible implications of new information relative |
| objective of their work. Their superior will be the one | | | | to the case. A clue is hard to come by without a |
| collating the data for analysis of yet another | | | | perception of its relevance. |
| subordinate police detective. | | | | Critical thinking is also important to a police detective. |
| A police detective is also burdened with redundancy. | | | | He must use logic and reasoning to be able to |
| To the eyes of a layman, redundancy may seem | | | | identify the right solution to a problem. There are also |
| boring but to the police detective, it is more of a | | | | numerous approaches to a problem which a police |
| necessity that grows in you. | | | | detective has to choose from. The work of a police |
| For example, a police detective like all police and | | | | detective comes to its most challenging part when |
| military personnel are required to undergo the daily | | | | he is evaluating and analyzing the clues and evidence |
| practice of handling their service firearms. Why, | | | | and trying to make sense out of it. |
| because these are guns that commands a | | | | Customarily, a police detective uses more of his brain |
| responsibility from the owner. | | | | and social skills than his body in his work. Though, in |
| There is also the issue of moral and ethical pressure | | | | real life, a police detective can never be really sure he |
| on the police detective. For one, each day in their | | | | has the need to sprint a mile during police operations. |
| work, a police detective is faced with multiple | | | | Such work entails that the police detective be |
| temptations to act on something to their advantage. | | | | physically able to defend or attack a known assailant. |
| They will always be tempted to abuse their position | | | | He must also be adept in handling his service firearm. |