What Do Police Detectives Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Police Detectives conduct investigations to prevent crimes or solve criminal cases. They also provide testimony as a witness in court.

Other tasks include:

• Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
• Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
• Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner’s arrival.
• Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
• Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
• Obtain evidence from suspects.

We asked Police Detectives how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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74% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 78% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Police Detectives analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed. They examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.

A typical day for a Police Detective will also include:

• Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
• Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
• Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
• Question individuals or observe persons and establishments to confirm information given to patrol officers.
• Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.

We asked some Police Detectives a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	97% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	70% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	87% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	80% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	37% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	71% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Police Detectives also prepare and serve search and arrest warrants. They may also provide testimony as a witness in court.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Police Detectives Participate or assist in raids and arrests. They might also Notify, or request notification of, medical examiner or district attorney representative.

In addition, they Secure persons at scene, keeping witnesses from conversing or leaving the scene before investigators arrive.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Examine crime scenes to obtain clues and evidence, such as loose hairs, fibers, clothing, or weapons.

To some Police Detectives, it is also their responsibility to Provide information to lab personnel concerning the source of an item of evidence and tests to be performed.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Police Detective, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm

https://www.bja.gov/

http://www.theiacp.org/

http://www.dhs.gov/