Expert: Jack Toomey - 4/3/2009

Question
I am very interested in becoming an SVU detective for new york city. I have multiple questions.

1. What EXACTLY does the special victims unit investigate? I know sex crimes like rape, and child molestation, but do they also investigate family violence?

2. What is the job overview for a SVU detective? What do they do? I know that it is nothing like the T.V. show so I would like to know what exactly they do.

3. How do I go about getting a position with the special victims unit? I know that I have to be a patrol officer for a few years before I can take an exam to become a detective. What exactly do I need to do?

4. Is it difficult to get a position with the SVU? Is my goal realistic?

Thanks so much,
Jake

Answer
Jake,

 The first thing that you have to understand is that I know nothing about the New York City Police Department.  I cannot possibly know everything about every department in the country.  Ask me something about MY department and I will give you an accurate answer.

  Secondly, to my knowledge, there is no such thing as an SVU unit as seen on tv.  All detectives work with their victims in some way but they do not follow them through life as the television show seems to depict.  

1.  Since there is no such unit and you are most likely getting your ideas from television there is no accurate answer.

2.  Since there is no such unit telling you what they do would be innacurate.  Detectives interview, investigate, do tons of paper work, arrest, prepare cases for trial, and then move on to the next case while juggling many other cases at the same time.  On television they will make you believe that a detective handles one case at a time and spends the entire day on it.  That is why I get a ton of questions asking me about this bogus unit that does not exist.

3.  Again, refer to question one.  You will spend more than a "few years" as a uniformed officer before you will ever be eligible to become a detective.

4.  you be your own judge.  I will not deter you from being a police officer but to focus on one little unit that you seem to think exists is not a good idea.