The Detective Facts: Interesting Things About Secret Agents

It is often said that the relationship between detectives and police officers are contentious or competitive, but in reality, a detective is an investigator who usually is a member of a law enforcement agency, and police work closely with investigators.

A detective works for the police or privately and collects information to solve mysterious crimes by collecting physical evidence, searching records in databases, or talking to witnesses and informers. They are also known as ‘private investigators’, or as ‘The Eye That Never Sleeps’ or simply ‘private eyes'.

Stress, danger, and violence. A detective faces all challenges that police officers face. However, investigators do not have all the authority that a police officer has.

You might think that there is only one kind of police detective. There are actually many, such as a forensic detective, homicide detective, and computer crime detective. There are specialized detectives for every type of crime.

Being a detective is an exciting job and involves creativity, curiosity, and dedication while investigating. Most PI’s are hired by insurance companies to investigate potential frauds.

You may also think that all detectives are well-armed but they don't have as many gadgets as you might think. Some big agencies provide fancy equipment for an investigation like a pen camera and button audio recorder to spy.

With a desire for public safety, 21% of private detectives are self-employed. They expose facts about personal, financial, or legal issues, prove or disprove fidelity and work in dangerous conditions.

They work closely with patrol officers but are not hired to frame or conjure up a guilty person in order to find solutions. False accusations may result in a detective’s license being revoked and them behind bars.

Work Of A Detective

Basically, there are two types of detectives: private and public. Sometimes called agents or special agents, crime investigators solve puzzles They gather records and facts, collect evidence of crimes, and interrogate witnesses.

Detectives and criminal investigators are uniformed or plainclothes officers who interview people, collect evidence related to criminal cases, monitor accused people, examine records, participate in raids and arrests, and gather facts. Detectives sometimes fill in a gap that is outside of the authority of a sheriff.

Criminal investigators fulfill some common tasks of the police such as finding a missing person, finding genetic parents of adopted children, retrieving stolen objects, investigating insurance claim fraud, or investigative due diligence. Law enforcement detectives perform background checks and can find suspected cheaters.

Their job can be very flexible and demanding. They could be called out for emergency cases, surveillance projects, or security issues at any time of the day or night.

However, not all detectives work in the field or gather evidence. A detective must be skilled enough to think logically to find traces of a crime and successfully fit the pieces of the puzzle together to solve a mystery.

In fact, sometimes being a detective is no fun! They face pressure and dangerous situations and need to be armed sometimes. But it's not every day that they will have a shoot-off with some bad guys.

Modern detectives are much more dependent on the internet and science. They track patterns, trace social media and encrypted data.

Characteristic Of A Detective

Doubtlessly, investigators are intriguing, and many of us secretly desire to be one of them. Maybe because of the process of investigation which is simply fascinating. However, a detective must be curious, keenly observant, ethical, and logical. Because of this, an investigator's success is defined by their characteristics which make them different from one another.

The most important attribute of a detective is their dedication. It is a hard-working job that requires dedication and sometimes they need to work round the clock.

Along with it, persistence is the key to being an excellent investigator as it can be challenging and confusing at times.

Also, people working in law enforcement need tough skin as this can be an extremely difficult job and officers might see horrible crimes happening every single day. Being thick-skinned helps to separate work from the rest of their lives and can make it less stressful.

Criminal investigators can't leave any stone unturned, they have to solve every mystery even if it is difficult or boring, which requires a great deal of curiosity. Developing hunches based on skills and evidence, instinct comes in handy when they have to bring in eyewitnesses or suspects for interrogation. Essentially, gut feelings can act as a human lie detector.

Extreme observation and excellent memory make detective work so amazing and are the keys to solving a huge case. While interviewing witnesses, observing facial expressions and nervous habits, nonverbal gestures, and any other small details make solving the puzzle significantly easier. These skills only work when the investigator is ethical, knows the law, and understands circumstances.

Therefore, this job requires strong communication skills, empathy, good judgment, and creativity with verbal presentation skills. Unhelpful traits for a detective are dishonesty, bribery, and biases.

Qualification Of A Detective

Becoming a detective usually requires a lot of training and experience. Certainly, the education required to enter this profession varies from a high school diploma to a college degree.

Although, no formal education is required to be a self-employed detective. But to add credibility as a public investigator, education in fields such as forensics, criminal justice, and criminal psychology is required. Also, many community colleges offer programs in criminal justice and law enforcement.

These courses could be four-year bachelors or two-year degrees. However, different types of investigators require a different set of education.

An investigator needs to know business laws and finances too. Many of the best detectives are ex-police or retired officers. But the newbies require training to gain expertise in the field. Federal law enforcement agents usually undergo extensive training to get a special detecting license.

Nowadays, cybercrime has become a huge problem that requires a tech geek to solve such issues. There are so many useful skills required to solve these cases but this depends on the type of investigator you want to be.

Cases Solved By Detectives

Detectives often encounter horrific and graphic scenes which they must consider and solve with proof and evidence. This can be very emotionally demanding to see regularly. However, the main aim of the criminal investigator is to discover the culprit. In a few cases, it can be very difficult to identify a suspect.

Unlike fictional detectives, the detectives in real life are not responsible for all sorts of investigations rather they specialize in certain fields. For instance, a homicide detective solves cases involving the killing of a person or suicide by collecting evidence, exploring the surrounding area, interviewing people, and dusting for fingerprints.

Alternatively, detectives with sleuthing skills and knowledge of business laws and finances investigate different types of fraud including identity theft, insurance fraud, forgery, and credit card fraud.

The investigations related to cybercrimes includes online drug trafficking, identity theft, online harassment, and illegal firearms sales. These cases are investigated by tech-savvy sleuths and these cases can take place across various jurisdictions.

However, some cases become cold, which means it is very difficult to identify the culprit as there is no evidence. Sometimes these cases can be solved using forensics.

Forensics teams work with DNA evidence such as hair, teeth, or fingerprints to identify the possible suspect. They may also use ballistics examination methods and soil testing to recreate the crime scene.

No detective wants to see a case go unsolved. A few of them reopen old cases if they get a new lead and interrogate people to solve the case and also expand their expertise.

Nonetheless, these cases are mostly related to violent crimes like assault or homicide.

Sometimes investigations are done to promote safer neighborhoods and end violence, particularly in gang-related crimes. These agents work as preventatives to remove illegal firearms and narcotics from the area of violence which may include smuggling, the growing or production of drugs, sales, and gang shootings.

Detective agencies solve these types of cases through different mediums such as forensic technologies, a guilty plea, DNA evidence, a deathbed confession, or new testimony.

FAQs

What are some facts about being a detective?

Being a detective is a special career in which you need to dig into people’s private lives. Some investigators work alone while some work for detective agencies. Detectives gather data to record evidence and conduct investigations for prosecutors.

What are some fun facts about private investigators?

Detectives sometimes do not like being called private investigators, rather they prefer being called legal investigators. After a long day tracing a suspect or sitting on a stake out, investigators sometimes have to relieve themselves in jugs, bottles, or any container!

So, it is not always a fun job, it sometimes gets boring if they have to sit in a car waiting for a long time.

What is the qualification for a detective?

Apparently, it depends on the agency that hires the detective. However, having a degree in criminal justice and law enforcement is just a plus point to a detective career.

An investigator must be trained and experienced enough to solve cases and identify criminals. Although, a lot depends on the type of investigator you want to become. It is very important to have a detective license to start this work.

Do detectives make good money?

The pay of a detective depends on which agency you are working for and what case you’re solving. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, the median annual wages of private detectives and criminal investigators were $41,760.

A federal investigator, however, makes above $90,000. Moreover, other agencies provide agents with extensive benefits, an allowance for uniforms, as well as the option to retire at a younger age than in a typical job.

What is the youngest age you can be a detective?

Basically, the minimum age to become a detective in a police department is usually between 19 and 21. However, it depends on the agency you want to work in and the degree you hold, along with your training and expertise.

Who is the world's greatest detective in real life?

A. Since the 19th century, detective stories have been a common part of our imagination. However, the first true detective stories started from the investigation of Izzy Einstein and Moe Smith who made 4,392 arrests out of which 95% of them gained convictions.

What do real detectives wear?

Most police detectives prefer suits. Many of them wear shirts and trousers with a trench coat to stay cozy and comfortable. They also often keep a spare outfit for emergencies. However, different types of detectives wear different clothes which suit their job and keep them camouflaged.