You are here:
- Home
- News/Issues
- Law Enforcement
- Careers: Police
- homicide detectives
Careers: Police/homicide detectives
Advertisement
Question
so how many years total will i be in college if i wanted to be a homicide detective and which college do you recommend?
Amber,
I am assuming that you are in high school?
It is not a matter of how many years you will be in college or what college you go to. What will happen is that after you graduate from college that you will apply to whatever police department interests you or one that is near to where you live. You will go through a long hiring process that could take six months to a year and involves many steps like background investigations, oral interviews, physical exams, and many other things. Then if you are hired you will go to the police academy. Assuming that you graduate then you will be assigned to a precinct station where you will spend many years as a uniformed police officer learning all of the skills that are necessary to be a successful detective. You don't go straight from the classroom into a desk at homicide.
After gaining enough experience on the street, which is typically ten to fifteen years, you may have an opening in homicide in your department and you would apply for it along with recommendations from your supervisors. If you are accepted then you might work as a precinct detective for a few years and then eventually you might land in homicide.
Getting back to college. It does not matter what you study. What matters is that you graduate.
Related Articles
- Teach for America - New Graduates and Teach for America
- Canadian Homicide Rate Goes Up in 2005 - Canadian Homicide Statistics 2005
- Summer between College and Graduate School -- What to Do the Summer Between College and Graduate School
- Marriage Proposal Stories - They Got Engaged in the Bathtub
- Graduation Rate - Four- and Six- Year Graduation Rates Say a Lot About a College
Answers by Expert:
Jack Toomey
Expertise
U.S.: I am an expert in this category for the purpose of giving young people an idea what the hiring process involves for the position of police officer. I am getting a flood of questions from young people who are being influenced by unrealistic television shows. I'd ask you to consider that when you watch police shows on television that they are NOT realistic and most of what you see does not happen in real life. Please do not ask me about potential jail sentences that you, your friends, or family might receive in court. There is no way for me to know that. I am NOT a probation officer so I cannot answer questions about probation and parole matters. I am a retired police officer with 26 years experience.I worked in a variety of assignments including investigations, homicide, sex crimes, runaway investigations, missing persons, and fraud.I also dealt with the general public during that time giving a wide range of advice on matters such as domestic disputes, problem solving, teenage problems, civil/criminal matters, and dealing with the mentally ill. I am available to give sound and reasonable advice which can solve most problems. Please do not ask me to do homework questions or online interviews. Young people should not rely on the Internet for interviews. Local police officers are normally very agreeable to assist students with interviews and surveys.
Experience
Worked as a police officer/detective for 26 years.
Graduate of the University of Maryland.B.S. in Law Enforcement.Attended numerous schools and training courses involving investigations, interviewing, interrogations, crime detection, domestic violence, and others. Recognized in court as an expert witness.
Received numerous awards during my police career for expert investigations. Handled the most sensitive and confidential investigations. In 1999 I won an award for my work with high school students while working in my new career in a large suburban high school.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.