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| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Activity sectors | Criminal investigation |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Criminological knowledge, knowledge of the law, literacy and numeracy, reasoning skills and social skills |
Education required | Secondary or tertiary education |
Fields of employment | Law enforcement or private investigation |
Related jobs | Police officer, private investigator, bounty hunter |
A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads them to arrest criminals and enable them to be convicted in court.[1] A detective may work for the police or privately.
- ^ Bryce, Robert. "Detective (Bureaus) - NYPDS". New York Police Department. City of New York. Archived from the original on 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
Detective work is highly specialized, usually encompassing the examination and evaluation of evidence to apprehend suspects and to build solid cases against them.