Journey to Becoming a Police Detective

[Smurfette_76]

Sure. Anytime. Most likely what you saw on television (nothing wrong with that, btw...i wanted to be an archeologist because of Indiana Jones ) and what you see portrayed the most on TV are police (sheriff) detectives, not so much boot Agents with a federal agency. The reason experience is so valued [in this field] is because the job is nearly impossible without it. Yes, I'm sure someone could solve a few cases as a Detective with no experience, but a "Detective" is still an Officer and an Officer is where it all begins. Nothing teaches you how to interview a person than working the road and learning. It's not just asking the right questions [strictly], it's about the mind game, the body language, the psychology, the closeness, understanding human nature...it's about knowing when to physically move in, when to let off, when to be serious, when to just chat. Detective work...interview and interrogation is an artform...and yes, I love it. Why not consider working your way up? The time it takes to make rank/Detective is equivalent to the agency you work with. I had six years experience when I cam to my current agency. I picked up Investigator in under two years. Detective within two years of that.

[CruiserClass]

Spanish is gold. Major in something you enjoy, not what you think people want to see. Else its just a slog that'll bring down your mood and your grades. Pick something, stick with it. Keep the Spanish.

It sucks and it rocks. Sometimes on the same shift.

There are no typical days.

Depends on your family. My family life is great, mostly because my wife is the sweetest woman on the planet and doesn't realize she could do better.

Worry about getting on first, worry about special assignments later. You need to want to be a cop to be a cop first, then decide where you want to go. It may change from what you originally thought.

[ktsueren]

Sure. Anytime. Most likely what you saw on television (nothing wrong with that, btw...i wanted to be an archeologist because of Indiana Jones ) and what you see portrayed the most on TV are police (sheriff) detectives, not so much boot Agents with a federal agency. The reason experience is so valued [in this field] is because the job is nearly impossible without it. Yes, I'm sure someone could solve a few cases as a Detective with no experience, but a "Detective" is still an Officer and an Officer is where it all begins. Nothing teaches you how to interview a person than working the road and learning. It's not just asking the right questions [strictly], it's about the mind game, the body language, the psychology, the closeness, understanding human nature...it's about knowing when to physically move in, when to let off, when to be serious, when to just chat. Detective work...interview and interrogation is an artform...and yes, I love it. Why not consider working your way up? The time it takes to make rank/Detective is equivalent to the agency you work with. I had six years experience when I cam to my current agency. I picked up Investigator in under two years. Detective within two years of that.

dahh! you just described it perfectly!! That is exactly what I want to work up to. I love a challenge and I am ready for anything and everything I have to do. But where to go from college is the next step

Spanish is gold. Major in something you enjoy, not what you think people want to see. Else its just a slog that'll bring down your mood and your grades. Pick something, stick with it. Keep the Spanish.

It sucks and it rocks. Sometimes on the same shift.

There are no typical days.

Depends on your family. My family life is great, mostly because my wife is the sweetest woman on the planet and doesn't realize she could do better.

Worry about getting on first, worry about special assignments later. You need to want to be a cop to be a cop first, then decide where you want to go. It may change from what you originally thought.

kudos to your wife

and i love math and am very good at it as well. I love how it is the ONLY thing in the world that is perfect... it is just so intriguing. So I'm thinking I might do that. And of course I will keep spanish. I love it. This is my 7th years taking spanish and I have been on missions trips to the DR 6 times and have become quite fluent in the language. So I have something going for me there

thank you for your insight as well!!

[LAChief]

My wife has been an Officer with her Department for 10 years. She has been approached with a Detective position several times but each time the plans fell thru and she is still on the road.

You are still in college, have you thought about getting into the forensics part of investigations? This requires no "road experience".

[LAChief]

I picked up Investigator in under two years. Detective within two years of that.

Around here a Detective and Investigator are the same except a Detective works for PD and Investigator is SO.

What is the difference in your neck of the woods?

[irishlad2nv]

Around here a Detective and Investigator are the same except a Detective works for PD and Investigator is SO.

What is the difference in your neck of the woods?

What Parish? Most of the ones I know and deal with, Detectives are both the PD and SO.

[Smurfette_76]

Around here a Detective and Investigator are the same except a Detective works for PD and Investigator is SO.

What is the difference in your neck of the woods?

Nothing now as the Chief did away with Investigators. It was set up that Investigators stayed with a team and oversaw anything they needed to, be it helping rookies learn the ropes or taking over on the felonies to free up the road Officers. In the case of a murder, CID would still be called in to handle it and the Investigator would turn everything over to them. Detectives were your M-F 8-5 deal. Chief moved things around, created two Detectives positions with flex hours and did away with the Investigators. Its a shame because a lot of the newer Officers benefited from it AND it took the load off the shift Sarge when he could free up peeps and let an Investigator handle it.

[LAChief]

^^^^Makes perfect sense, thank you!