Can a detective work with other officers in a case?

The detective may use other officers to assist in the investigation, but the case will remain in her charge. Fact gathering is a must in police work. Detectives can only relate specific details in a court of law and may not offer opinion, as a rule, for testimony.

What do police detectives specialize in?

Some departments are large enough to have detectives who specialize in certain areas such as credit card fraud, homicide, juvenile crime, arson, narcotics, rape, vice, etc. (We’ll look at some of these areas in greater detail later in the chapter.)

What is the difference between a detective and a patrol officer?

A detective is usually charged with applying for and obtaining search warrants. To accomplish these tasks effectively, detectives are trained with a more diverse approach than patrol officers. Both detectives and patrol officers are required to attend, at minimum, semiannual in-service training to stay abreast of new laws and procedures.

What does it take to become a detective?

Learn how that works. Detectives usually begin their careers as uniformed police officers who work their way up the chain of command, striving to obtain either the position of a uniformed supervisor or move into what some officers think of as the ultimate police job—a detective.

What is the career path of a detectives?

Detectives usually begin their careers as uniformed police officers who work their way up the chain of command, striving to obtain either the position of a uniformed supervisor or move into what some officers think of as the ultimate police job—a detective. How an officer becomes a detective varies with each individual department.

What are the different areas of detective specialty?

Some departments are large enough to have detectives who specialize in certain areas such as credit card fraud, homicide, juvenile crime, arson, narcotics, rape, vice, etc. (We’ll look at some of these areas in greater detail later in the chapter.) Detectives sometimes work in several specialized areas before finding one they like.