Expert: Jason Grabill - 3/10/2008

Question
QUESTION: How is the process of joining if I obtain a bachelors in Criminal Justice? Somebody told me that it is sending the wrong message by telling an interviewee and friend/family my goal is to become a homicide detective. is it sending a wrong message or is it a bad idea? why or why not?

ANSWER: Pedro:

 I would get a degree in something else entirely if it were me.  The CJ degree isn't going to help you much in applying for a police department.  Concentrate on either a BS or a BA in English, journalism, or something that gives you writing skills, police officers write far more than most people think, and those who write well usually advance ahead of their peers.

 EVERYone wants to be a homicide detective, SWAT, sniper, or some other 'elite' part of the police department, without realizing that first, you must get hired, complete the police academy, spend time in patrol division, then compete for those positions.  No one is hired right from civilian life to be a homicide detective or SWAT officer, just doesn't happen.  While the long term goal is fine, short term, concentrate on hiring and completing the academy, and doing well as a patrol officer.

Jason

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I know you have to have experience to be in the homicide unit, but in addition to that, do you know the exact process for becoming a detective? I dont care if i have to do my time as a police officer; that is what i want to do for the rest of my life. Not a nurse, not a doctor, not a teacher, not a scientist, not a business related profession but a police investigator working my way up. Now why does it seem that you "experts" are advising people to look up another job because detective work is not for them? Is it stressful, not what it looks like? to get a glimpse of what detectives do, I watched "The First 48" on A&E and researched online (trust me i did my time researching careers and majors, and I'm still doing it since its still my first year in college).

Answer
Pedro:

 The process is different with each agency, but it usually consists of personal interviews, evaluation of work performance, evalution of your arrests and paperwork, evaluation of your prior experience and knowledge, and an evaluation of your education.  It could be one of those, or a combination of them.  A written test could also be administered.

  We 'experts' are the ones who've been there, done that, so advising people on HOW to obtain the job, with honest no bs answers, is what we do.  It's not easy, nor a simple process.  Becoming a detective takes YEARS and the process is brutal, highly competitive and very, very selective.  The hours are long, the work tedious and frustrating, and offtimes there is no end solution to the case.  Sugarcoating those facts, lying about it, or making it seem like anyone can just earn a degree, stroll into an agency and become a detective in homicide, would be pure BS because it doesn't happen.  

 TV shows are meant to entertain the public, and are condensed versions of what really happens.  COPS, for example, usually takes about 6 months of riding around in a cruiser just to get enough footage for a couple of half hour episodes for TV.  "Live" TV detective shows like the one you mentioned work the same way.  It's SUPPOSED to look exciting, because nobody is going to watch a one hour program of 2 cops sitting in a cold car eating peanuts and peeing in water bottles on stakeout fighting to stay awake and watch a house at the same time, nor is it pretty when they have to go through a suspects garbage looking for evidence.  Crime scenes smell, are wet, cold, hot, nasty and not particularly 'fun' to be in and around.  To do all of that well, it takes patience, experience, and the ability to coalate all of this into a coherent report that will also hold up in court.

 MY suggestion is to concentrate, as I said before, on getting HIRED first in a police department, and being a good patrol officer.  You make a name there, and then can move on to the detective work.  Like it or not, that's the way it works in the real world, and no amount of TV shows, research, or reading books about it, is going to substitute for BTDT experience.

 You wanted honest expert answers, those are the honest expert answers.  That's the way it is, like it or not.