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