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What does a Police Detective do?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered July 26 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
There is no typical day for a Detective. They may spend the day doing interviews or research or being out on the streets following a suspect. That being said, a Police Detective's work can be split into three main categories: street work, forensics, and records investigation.

Street work involves the interviewing of victims, witnesses, and suspects. Different police departments have different standards of behaviors that are permitted in interviews. Nowadays, most interviews are videotaped as evidence in the investigation. Once Detectives have a suspect, they then consult with attorneys to see what the suspect can be charged with and if the attorneys think the case will hold up in court. 

 Forensic evidence is the newest and most important branch of evidence. It implies looking for anything such as hairs, fibers, saliva, or other bodily fluids to get DNA evidence and place suspects at the crime scenes. 

 Records investigation implies doing background searches on suspects, going through financial records to find abnormalities, security camera footage, or doing other research that can help bring the case together.
Roles and responsibilities of a Police Detective
Detectives have numerous responsibilities and duties, some of which are: 
  • Conduct interviews with witnesses or suspects.
  • Examine records.
  • Collect and carefully document evidence. Evidence also needs to be carefully organized for it to be acceptable in court. 
  • Write reports.
  • Observe the activity of subjects.
  • Secure crime scenes.
  • Obtain arrest warrants.
  • Participate in the apprehension of suspected criminals.
  • Serve as witnesses in court.
  • Research information, such as laws, regulations, and legal precedents. 
  • Inform victims of crimes of the progress of the investigation, when necessary. 
  • Perform background checks and record checks on suspects. 
  • Tracking down suspects, witnesses, informants, or other people who may have pertinent information. 
  • Verifying the veracity of information, such as checking out alibis and other facts. 
  • Going through legal and financial records. 
  • Liaise with Attorneys to determine the charges and quality of the investigation. 
  • Meet with specialists such as Forensic Scientists, Psychologists, or Pathologists to get more information on the case. 
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