How to become a detective, Plus 17 Important Tools of a Detective

Being a detective is a very demanding job, both physically and emotionally. Detectives are required to stay alert, spend long hours, and see disturbing crime scenes. Detectives gather facts, gather, analyze evidence, and conduct interviews, necessary for the resolution of offenses such as fraud, homicide, and tax evasion. Evidence produced by a detective is used in different types of courts as expert testimony.

Wh o  is a detective?

A detective is a member of the security force or a private investigator, charged with obtaining information and evidence on crimes against the law, and who, after obtaining evidence and solving these crimes, can use it to catch criminals.

There are two types of detectives at the local or state level; those who work as police officers in the first place, take a test, and then get promoted to become a detective or those who are considered private investigators. A private investigator or investigator assists law enforcement, law enforcement, individuals, and corporations and may choose to work for a lawyer, citizen, or by setting up their agencies.

Most private investigators are former law enforcement officers, spies, army officers, or security guards. In many parts of the world, a private investigator does not have the power to make an arrest. A private investigator must be licensed.

Duties of a detective and job description

Police

• Crime scene examination: police detectives; examine crime scenes for evidence and clues that could help solve a crime. Evidence can be fibers, clothing, hair, or weapons.
• Securing Evidence: Evidence must be gathered at the scene of the crime, such as homicides against the body of the deceased, and then prevent bystanders from touching the scene of the crime and destroying it before arrival. of the examining physician. Obtaining evidence at other crime scenes may involve picking up hair, clothing, and/or weapons.
• Conducting Interviews: Interviews are conducted around the crime scene and other related sources. . In addition, the results obtained could lead to the suspect.
• Obtaining evidence from suspects: Obtaining a suspect is only half the task, as evidence has to be collected, linking the suspect to the crime.
• Giving Testimony: After arresting a suspect, the detective should be able to testify in court as a witness against the suspect, especially as most of the evidence used is provided by the detective.
• The detective should also analyze, complete police reports to ensure that any additional information is provided and carry out further investigations if necessary.
• Conduct regular investigations into all criminal cases assigned to it and maintain knowledge of factual requirements.
• It is also the duty to lay charges or follow up on charges and/or information relating to court cases, formalized proceedings.
• Retain and update fingerprints, photographs, and files of various suspects and offenders.
• Keep all records from crime scenes.

Private

• Research: A private investigator can carry out research. The search may include family history, legal records, medical records, background checks of a candidate for employment, or the use of the computer to search. Research is necessary because the facts, whatever the case, will be gathered before they are analyzed and used to resolve a case.
• Interviews: Investigators conduct interviews with people to obtain the information or evidence necessary to present evidence in court or resolve a case.
• Monitoring: Monitoring is the process of monitoring a person and their activities without them being aware of it and not communicating your findings to your client for further action.

Tools and equipment needed by a detective

1. Bulletproof vest: This is personal armor that helps reduce or prevent entry into the body of shrapnel and projectiles from firearms.
2. Evidence Collection Kit: An Evidence Collection Kit is a tightly sealed package that is used to collect and preserve evidence collected at a crime scene.
3. Digital cameras: A digital camera properly records and stores photographic images in digital form and can be transferred to a computer. Detectives use the camera in particular when they want to examine crime scene evidence without going directly to the scene. The cameras can also be used to photograph close-up scenes and other areas that may catch their attention.
4. Handguns: Detectives can find themselves in very dangerous situations; a gun protects both the detective and bystanders from the dangerous acts of the criminal. Handguns are used in cases of extreme force.
5. Two-way radios: The radio is used to receive and give information. A police inspector may need to contact the base station by radio for help and relief.
6. Handcuffs: He needs handcuffs to stop and subdue criminals once they have been arrested. The handcuffs are made of steel, and detectives usually wear more than one, as they encounter more than one criminal.
7. Flashlights: A flashlight is an electric light held in the hand. Usually portable and usually battery-powered. Detectives need torches when a criminal or victim is in a dark place and needs to be rescued or arrested.
8. Dictation device: A dictation device is mainly used by a private investigator to record speeches made by the victims, themselves, and sometimes the suspects. Police vehicles: These are used to get to crime scenes, patrol, or follow a suspect. Investigators need police vehicles to get around.
9. Personal Protective Equipment: Protective clothing, gloves, masks, eye protection, helmets, and other equipment designed to protect the detective from injury, or infection.
10. Binding paper: this is a clean paper folded in a defined way in a series of steps, to be used to contain traces of traces.
11. Biohazard Bags: Disposable bag that is tear-resistant and impervious to liquids and moisture under normal handling conditions.
12. Body Fluid Collection Kits: These vials are used to collect fluids from a crime scene for laboratory examination. The kit protects the detective against infections.
13. Evidence Seal: Evidence Seals are used to secure crime scenes, prevent tampering, and provide a certain level of security.
14. Footwear Foundry Materials: These are used to preserve shoe prints and allow comparison and analysis.
15. Latent Print Kit: Fingerprints at the crime scene that are not immediately visible are removed using the Latent Print Kit.
16. Crime scene ruler/measuring instruments: This function is used to support crime scene sketch, scene mapping, and general measurements.
17. Spray paint and chalk: Used to mark important parts of a crime scene. For example, in a homicide, chalk is used to outline the body of a victim; exactly as it was found.

How to become a detective without being a police officer  Complete guide

• According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for investigators will be felt, growing slowly by 8% from 2019 through 2029.
• The average annual salary for police detectives at the state level was $ 79,870, with an average hourly rate of $ 38.40 in 2014, and expected employment for police detectives is expected to increase, by 2% between 2012 and 2022.
• There were 115,000 police investigators in 2012 and 27,700 people are expected to be employed between 2012 and 2022.
• The demand for private investigators is expected to increase by 11% between 2012 and 2021. Private investigators earned an average annual salary of $ 45,740, with an hourly rate of $ 21.99. In 2012, the number of posts occupied by private investigators was 30,000; the entry-level of education being a high school diploma or its equipment. Between 2012 and 2022, there is expected to be an employment growth of 3,300 for private investigators.
• You must be a US citizen or a foreign permanent resident applying for citizenship.
• You must be 21 years old at the latest at the end of the academy. You must have a valid driver’s license.
• Most detectives start as patrol officers and then move into additional positions. open.

UK

• Detectives earn an average of £ 30,810 per year in 2015.
• There is no requirement for initial training, as graduates and non-graduates can become investigators. Detectives, usually referred to as CIDs, do not have separate data in the UK as all data has been aggregated with that of the police.
• In addition, 5,000 detectives are missing.
• Detectives work in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and special units, which deal with fraud, drugs, and stolen vehicles.
• There are different ranks in the CID, namely: Constable-Detective, Sergeant, Inspector, Inspector, Chief Inspector, and Chief Inspector.
• the decline for police investigators in the UK, as there is a shortage of 5,000 investigators in England and Wales.
• Detectives are paid the same salary scale as police officers. Detectives work 40 hours a week, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
• There is currently no government licensing regulator that issues licenses to private investigators.
• The licenses of private investigators and companies were governed by the Security Act.

In Canada

• The average age of a detective is 37 years old.
• In Canada, police detectives earned an annual average of C$30,809. In Kentucky, female investigators have a 54% share ratio.
• You must be of legal age, be 18 or 20 years old.
• You have to respect the citizenship requirements
• You must be a High school
• Hold a certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid techniques.
• Detectives are fourth-class officers immediately after graduating from the police academy.

Is the demand for professional detective s  increasing or dying?

It cannot be said that the demand for police investigators is increasing, nor a saturated market. In the United States, there is only a marginal increase of 2% for police detectives between 2012 and 2022. In the United Kingdom, there is a shortage of 5,000 CID officers, mainly because the will to put policies in place, would help the officers and the police force as a whole is not there.