Expert: Dick Rogers - 2/3/2006

Question
"Hi i am doing a Senior paper on detectives and police and i really couldn't find anyone to interview so they gave me this web site.. I just wanted to know.

How did you like your job?
What things did you not like about your job?
Can you give me a description on your job?
Was there many advancement options?
Would you recommend your job?
How long did it take you to get to your position?
Does your job have a friendly atmosphere?
What type of hours did you work?
Are employees treated well?
If you had the choice to go into a different career field would you?

thanks
brittany

Answer
Brittany, I normally do not deal with questions relating to school work, but you asked some interesting questions.  So, here we go...I loved my job.  Working homicide sounds somewhat bizzare but when you think about it...looking into the whys and wherefores of how someone was killed and trying to determine who did it and under what circumstances.  What I didn't like about my job is that there are too many gang, dope and similar murders that make no sense whatsoever...not that any murder makes sense, but you can understand some of the motives when it involves money, sex, or power.  A description of my job is quite lengthy, so I just say that we were expected to give every homicide the attention it needed to do the best job possible to solve it.  It involved using all the resources available such as the crime lab, firearms lab, forensic people, etc.  Surprisingly, few homicide detectives want to advance.  I am a good example.  I took the lieutenants exam, passed it, and was on a list for promotion, but when I found out I was to be promoted used what influence I had with some people on the department to have me passed over so I could stay working homicides.  In our department, once you advance past the rank of sergeant, you no longer can work cases.  Would I recommend my job...absolutely! It took my seventeen years of law enforcement work to get to work homicides.  This is usually the case in most major departments.  I wouldn't call the atmosphere pleasant, in fact many times it was downright gruesome, but the give and take at the homicide bureau and my great partner (in homicide we worked in teams and my partner was fantastic!) We were treated quite well...we were given our cases and left alone.  Your final question is a good one.  You might not get it though.  I used to fly airplanes in Alaska, a bush pilot.  I always had a dream to have a small inter island flying service in the Carrebean (how do you spell it?) with flying boats.  Just a dream, but I was very happy with my chosen career as well.  Hope this helps you Brittany in your paper.