| Police Detective: A Police Officer Career For The | | | | firearms. |
| Taking | | | | As you can see, the real police detective is not |
| Police Detectives as Portrayed in the Media | | | | your typical hero of the day as depicted in TV |
| Police detective TV series are on the rise. In fact, | | | | shows that people believe will always do the right |
| not one, but three Crime Scene Investigators or | | | | thing. In the real world, these people are always |
| CSI TV series are available for public viewing: CSI | | | | faced with a choice to do the wrong or right |
| New York, CSI Miami and CSI Las Vegas. Before, | | | | thing. |
| televiewers were already content with the action | | | | What Does A Police Detective Do? |
| and suspense scenes that were packaged with | | | | A police detective conducts investigations to be |
| police and detective TV shows, but now, they | | | | able to solve crimes or prevent one from |
| are clamoring for more. | | | | happening. When a crime is committed, a police |
| It seems that the adventure and mysterious air | | | | detective will examine the crime scene, obtain |
| that comes along with a police or detective work | | | | clues, and gather evidence to try to piece |
| sparked the curiosity of televiewers. People do | | | | together a real-life puzzle. |
| not only want to know whodunit; they want to | | | | Throughout the duration of the case, the police |
| know the 'How' of catching the perpetrator. | | | | detective will have to record its progress and |
| These wants of televiewers are the inspiration | | | | keep tabs on suspects by maintaining contact |
| behind the creation of the CSI TV series and | | | | with them directly or indirectly. After sufficient |
| other similar TV shows. | | | | evidence has been gathered, he can submit a |
| What people don't know, however, is that police | | | | report to his superior recommending for the |
| detectives have an important and risky job that | | | | issuance of a warrant for the suspect. Only a |
| can bring a sense of excitement and adventure | | | | commanding officer or a magistrate can authorize |
| as well as fear and grief. Also, what is usually | | | | a warrant. |
| presented on TV is a filtered and hyped-up | | | | Handling a case can be quite a journey for a police |
| version of a police detective's life. | | | | detective; he will have to look into every |
| Police Detectives of the Real World | | | | possibility while at the same time maintaining the |
| Job wise, the detective processes are more | | | | necessary course of the case. Information can be |
| painstaking and laborious. It usually takes more | | | | gathered from governmental agencies, and from |
| time and effort from a police detective to solve a | | | | the result of interviews of complainants or |
| crime than what is depicted in TV shows. | | | | witnesses. More so, the course of the case will be |
| For example, a particular case may require a | | | | supported further by conducting polygraph tests |
| police detective to interview each and every | | | | on the suspects, and depending on the clues |
| person in a neighborhood within five blocks from | | | | obtained from the crime scene, fingerprint tests |
| the crime scene. Now, interviews and inquiries are | | | | and other related tests can be conducted to |
| all part of a detective's work. Imagine the effort | | | | fortify evidence. |
| required from a detective to get to know | | | | The work of a police detective, however, does |
| different types of people-having different | | | | not end here. A police detective will afterwards |
| personalities and coming from different societies | | | | have to testify before the courts and stand as a |
| and races-make them feel safe and comfortable, | | | | witness. He will have to testify on the truthfulness |
| while at the same time assessing their answers | | | | and accuracy of his investigation for it to have a |
| and reviewing their actions or reactions if they | | | | bearing before the court. |
| have some knowledge on the case. At the end of | | | | Characteristics Of A Police Detective |
| the day, a police detective has to filter out the | | | | A police detective has to have certain |
| interviews and scan the possibilities to at least | | | | characteristics to be able to experience growth in |
| figure out a suspect or lead. | | | | his career. Basic abilities such as reading |
| The work of a police detective is also | | | | comprehension and writing, and speaking are |
| characterized by a chain of command present in | | | | important necessities. He needs to be able to |
| military and police organizations. One subordinate | | | | communicate effectively in both written and oral |
| police detective might be doing a particular work | | | | aspects, as well as be capable of understanding |
| under a case while another does something | | | | formed sentences and paragraphs. |
| different under the same case, although both are | | | | A police detective must be capable of active |
| in the dark, unaware of the real objective of their | | | | learning. Active learning is simply to understand or |
| work. Their superior will be the one collating the | | | | perceive the possible implications of new |
| data for analysis of yet another subordinate police | | | | information relative to the case. A clue is hard to |
| detective. | | | | come by without a perception of its relevance. |
| A police detective is also burdened with | | | | Critical thinking is also important to a police |
| redundancy. To the eyes of a layman, | | | | detective. He must use logic and reasoning to be |
| redundancy may seem boring but to the police | | | | able to identify the right solution to a problem. |
| detective, it is more of a necessity that grows in | | | | There are also numerous approaches to a |
| you. | | | | problem which a police detective has to choose |
| For example, a police detective like all police and | | | | from. The work of a police detective comes to |
| military personnel are required to undergo the | | | | its most challenging part when he is evaluating and |
| daily practice of handling their service firearms. | | | | analyzing the clues and evidence and trying to |
| Why, because these are guns that commands a | | | | make sense out of it. |
| responsibility from the owner. | | | | Customarily, a police detective uses more of his |
| There is also the issue of moral and ethical | | | | brain and social skills than his body in his work. |
| pressure on the police detective. For one, each | | | | Though, in real life, a police detective can never |
| day in their work, a police detective is faced with | | | | be really sure he has the need to sprint a mile |
| multiple temptations to act on something to their | | | | during police operations. Such work entails that the |
| advantage. They will always be tempted to abuse | | | | police detective be physically able to defend or |
| their position and authority as enforcers of the | | | | attack a known assailant. He must also be adept |
| law, especially since they are licensed to carry | | | | in handling his service firearm. |