I Want To Be A Detective

bluelass

I always fancied doing this from a young age (im 37 now). Im off this week and have been looking at private detective agencies on the net. I know its not all glamour and adrenalin or like life on mars. I have seen shows like 24 hours in police custody and the role of civilian investigating officer appealed to me, its like being a CID officer but being constantly present at the station to undertake questioning of those bought in to custody and liase with legal representatives. Does anyone have any experience or worked in these roles and can tell me about it?.

duchy

Maybe you could detect more information about the role on the net

The only civilian officers I've come across were all retired coppers who worked til they qualified for their pension at 40 odd (joined as teenagers) and then reapplied as civilians. One of my recent uni courses included criminal justice modules and some of the students were looking at similar roles - Do you have any justice experience or legal background at all?

I can't imagine anyone without experience questioning suspects - without a legal background and extensive knowledge you'd be likely to wreck a case by not following laws and protocols. You'd be more likely to be cataloging evidence and acting as an admin person - with civilian officers with years on the force or legal qualifications it wouldn't be worth training someone completely inexperienced in the more interesting bits like interviewing suspects (and usually it's the detectives who question - civilian officers are usually support staff )

If you want to be a real detective you'd need to join the force as a constable and later transfer to CID -

PlutoinCapricorn

Just don't pay for private investigator 'training' that leads nowhere: some companies will take your money, leading you to believe that there will be work at the end of it.

skintpaul

Would think some experience in police first might help..

tomtontom

bluelass wrote: »

My opinion is they are a nuisance to paid employees and undermine people in the work force. I know of a man who recently got a medal for 20 years volunteering for the council. Wow a medal costing a few pounds when he says he was told he had saved then almost half a million pounds by not having to pay him. How does he live and eat or heat? on fresh air maybe. No employer big or small will refuse free labour from some idiot offering it all for free. Those in paid positions who suddenly find themselves working with volunteer's feel insecure and rightly so. Do us all a favour and stop it you are ruining pay rates.

With such ill informed, judgmental attitudes I doubt you would fit in well in modern policing (that relies on many volunteers). Maybe twenty years ago, certainly not now.

andygb

tomtontom wrote: »

With such ill informed, judgmental attitudes I doubt you would fit in well in modern policing (that relies on many volunteers). Maybe twenty years ago, certainly not now.

Why did you feel it necessary to trawl through the OP's posts to find something totally unrelated to this topic?
The example which you decided to link to, actually shows that the OP is genuinely concerned about the effect which unpaid workers are having on the workforce in general. There is no question that they are very good for unscrupulous employers who wish to pay nothing, but they take away jobs from people who wish to do PAID WORK, a concept which you seem unable to comprehend.

tomtontom

andygb wrote: »

Why did you feel it necessary to trawl through the OP's posts to find something totally unrelated to this topic?
The example which you decided to link to, actually shows that the OP is genuinely concerned about the effect which unpaid workers are having on the workforce in general. There is no question that they are very good for unscrupulous employers who wish to pay nothing, but they take away jobs from people who wish to do PAID WORK, a concept which you seem unable to comprehend.

I take it you're still unemployed andy? Sorry to hear that. Perhaps you would benefit from doing some voluntary work to improve your skills set?

andygb

tomtontom wrote: »

I take it you're still unemployed andy? Sorry to hear that. Perhaps you would benefit from doing some voluntary work to improve your skills set?

I personally think that if a job is worth doing, then a person should be PAID to do it, and with over 36 years experience in the public and private sector, I do not think that unpaid voluntary work would enhance my skills;)

tomtontom

andygb wrote: »

I personally think that if a job is worth doing, then a person should be PAID to do it, and with over 36 years experience in the public and private sector, I do not think that unpaid voluntary work would enhance my skills;)

Yet your long period out of work would suggest otherwise? Maybe you should open your mind to new opportunities a little more?

PlutoinCapricorn

I got a whole new career out of volunteering for a charity. They could not afford to pay anyone for the work.

Companies that prefer to use unpaid job seekers are a whole other story.

andygb

tomtontom wrote: »

Yet your long period out of work would suggest otherwise? Maybe you should open your mind to new opportunities a little more?

Sorry, I do not see unpaid work of any kind as an "opportunity", I see it as one person or maybe an organisation exploiting people.