Detective (Police)

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Work Tasks

• Collect facts and proof of crimes
• Interview victims and people who saw the crime, look at records, watch suspects, do raids and make arrests
• Wear plain clothes and work secretly
• Visit crime scenes, try to figure out what happened, and check out facts and leads
• Work both indoors and outdoors for local or federal governments, the Treasury Department, and the FBI
• Use guns, handcuffs, evidence, records, reports, forms, radios, telephones, walkie-talkies, computers, and different types of forensic equipment

Salary, Size & Growth

• $61,000 average per year ($29.25 per hour)
• A medium occupation (110,600 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow moderately (1.7% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: US citizens, 20 or older, physically strong, good character, no drugs, and a high school diploma
• Employers Prefer: A 2-year degree in law enforcement or administration of justice
• Skills/Courses: College courses include accounting, finance, electrical engineering, computer science, and foreign languages.