A detective, by description, is a person, usually a member of a law enforcement organization, whose primary duties are doing investigational tasks of criminal acts. A detective can be either a licensed or an unlicensed person, commonly known as a private investigator. To become one, you should go through a series of procedures, such as meeting all the requirements and possessing the proper attitude as well as mastering all the skills needed.
Meeting the Requirements
As all crime solving tasks need an intelligent as well as structured way of your thinking ability, almost all law enforcement agencies require their detectives to at least possess a bachelor’s degree in relevant majors, namely in criminal justice or law enforcement. Additional skills, such as knowledge of computers, is preferable, as almost all crime investigations are done through data gathering and collection procedures which involve the use of computer databases.
Formally, to become a licensed detective, you should go through some police training courses for around 14 weeks, which include physical training and classroom studies, concerning civil rights and local laws, as well as firearms training. For sure, at the end of these courses, you are required to pass both physical and written tests. And most police forces need a person to have at least three years of working experience as a police officer prior to promote someone as a detective.
Although a detective’s duties don’t seem to require much physical activities compared to a police officer’s, you should always maintain your physical and mental health, as it is mandatory for a detective as a crime solver, to be in top physical shape. Having lots of exercises will definitely also help on maintaining your mental health.
Having the Right Attitude
One of the most important attitude to have, is assuring yourself that you are taking charge of the situation. Ready to take notes and to stick your nose into any matters to get what you are looking for. The second important attitude is to develop good interpersonal skills, to be always able to start conversations as well as asking questions to people that you likely never know before. Always think logic, and always write notes on any information gathered. Last but not least, having discussions on detective skills with some qualified people that you might know, would surely be an advantage. Try to find out whether you have someone in the family, or a friend of the family, who is a police officer or an investigator. Gather their experiences on the work to have a clearer picture on what you would be facing and should be looking out for.
Mastering the Skills
One basic skill that you must possess to become a good detective is the power of observation and concentration. Good detectives are working for evidence based on their observations, which primarily need concentration. Sitting on surveillance is one of a detective’s duties that directly requires this type of skill. Another important skill is the questioning techniques. By asking the right questions in a particular situation or condition, you would be able to gather more useful information. It’s all about asking smart questions that will stimulate longer answers from witnesses or suspects. Open questions such as, “What really happened at the time you arrived?” would be more effective than a closed one that are likely to receive a short answer like, “Did you find the front door opened when you came?”
In the end, there are still many other skills to possess in order for you to be able to work more effectively. Though sometimes, mastering each skill requires lots of time and field experiences, a sufficient level of them is compulsory. Be sure to master more and more skills along the way of your pursue to be a good detective.
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