NCJ Number
135802
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 59 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1992) Pages: 33-34,37-38,40-41
Date Published
1992
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The first requirement of a police detective unit is that it be comprised of officers who possess the appropriate investigative skills.
Abstract
Another criterion for investigators is imagination, the kind of creative thinking that causes them to look in nontypical places for information. Detectives must also have some clerical ability and patience to handle the large volume of paperwork which comprises about 70 percent of the job. Training, an organized records system, and strong support personnel are vital. Detectives also need different kinds of specialized equipment, including batons, pagers, and soft body armor. Proper evidence collection equipment and supplies and equipment are essential. Surveillance equipment comes in many forms, ranging from night vision equipment and listening devices to miniature microphones and pinhole cameras. Lighting a crime scene can be accomplished with various products supplied by a number of distributors throughout the country. Although a good K-9 team can be invaluable in locating narcotics or explosives, success is not automatic; both dogs and handlers require comprehensive training. Fingerprint kits, protective gear, and narcotics identification kits are useful, but two pieces of equipment no detective should ever be without are a tape recorder and a good camera.