How to Become a Detective or Criminal Investigator
As a child, did you fancy yourself the next Sherlock Holmes? Did you spend time with a magnifying glass in hand, searching for clues as you played "detective" with friends? While the career of detective or criminal investigator is quite different from what your childhood imagination might have conjured up, it can be a fulfilling one for people who love to figure things out and search for information. The field is also quite varied, because many types of businesses, from insurance firms to computer science companies, can use the work of a skilled investigator.
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Instructions
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How to Become a Detective or Criminal Investigator
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Keep your record clean. You will not be able to get licensed as an investigator if you have a clouded past.
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Earn a college degree in a criminal justice field. Keep in mind that there is not a specific degree required for licensure as a detective, but criminal investigators will work with a police department, so they might need to pursue a specific degree as outlined by the police agency.
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Apply for a license following your state's regulations. All states but seven have licensing requirements, which typically include education and age requirements, a background check and a written examination covering laws that relate to the line of work of a detective.
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Apply as a trainee with a firm or agency that hires detectives. Choose one that is in the field you are interested in, such as insurance, domestic cases or corporate investigating. If you intend to work as a criminal investigator, apply with the local police department.
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Learn the trade while working alongside a skilled investigator. Most detectives and investigators are trained in this way, rather than by pursuing a formal training program.
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Apply for a firearms permit if your line of work requires you to carry a handgun.
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Pursue any further qualifications that you are qualified to receive. For instance, the National Association of Legal Investigators often gives the Certified Legal Investigator status to investigators who spend time working on criminal defense or negligence cases, pass sufficient examinations and have the right amount of experience in the field.
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Tips & Warnings
There are many types of detectives, and not all lines of work are considered dangerous. Computer forensics, for instance, is a type of detective work that involves retrieving information from computers.
Always follow the law when working as a detective or criminal investigator. Your role does not mean that you can do as you wish. The laws apply equally to you as they do to the people you are investigating. Be sure to brush up on privacy laws in your state, as these are easy to break as a detective.
