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Date: 02/06/2025

Detectives and Criminal Investigators

Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
    • Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.
    • Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
    • Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
    • Summon medical help for injured individuals and alert medical personnel to take statements from them.
    • Participate or assist in raids and arrests.
    • Organize scene search, assigning specific tasks and areas of search to individual officers and obtaining adequate lighting as necessary.
    • Question individuals or observe persons and establishments to confirm information given to patrol officers.
    • Provide information to lab personnel concerning the source of an item of evidence and tests to be performed.
    • Notify command of situation and request assistance.
    • Examine records to locate links in chains of evidence or information.
    • Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment.
    • Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
    • Notify command of situation and request assistance.
    • Secure persons at scene, keeping witnesses from conversing or leaving the scene before investigators arrive.
    • Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.
    • Collaborate with other offices and agencies to exchange information and coordinate activities.
    • Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse.
    • Question individuals or observe persons and establishments to confirm information given to patrol officers.
    • Testify before grand juries concerning criminal activity investigations.
    • Summon medical help for injured individuals and alert medical personnel to take statements from them.
    • Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.
    • Maintain surveillance of establishments to obtain identifying information on suspects.
    • Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed.
    • Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.
    • Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
    • Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival.
    • Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence.
    • Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.
    • Perform undercover assignments and maintain surveillance, including monitoring authorized wiretaps.
    • Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.
    • Identify case issues and evidence needed, based on analysis of charges, complaints, or allegations of law violations.
    • Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.
    • Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.
    • Prepare and serve search and arrest warrants.
    • Notify, or request notification of, medical examiner or district attorney representative.
    • Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations.
    • Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.
    • Block or rope off scene and check perimeter to ensure that entire scene is secured.

    Skills

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    4
    Workplace Documents
    5
    Graphic Literacy
    5

    Abilities

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    Knowledge

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 79770/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 38.35/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 2,310
    • Yearly Projected Openings 170

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Integrity
    • Self Control
    • Dependability
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Attention to Detail
    • Adaptability/Flexibility

    Tools

    • Alcohol analyzers
    • Binocular light compound microscopes
    • Biological evidence collection kits
    • Body armour
    • Bullet proof vests
    • Desktop computers
    • Dictation machines
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Digital cameras
    • Fingerprint equipment
    • Fingerprint latent print kits
    • Flares
    • Footprint lifters
    • Footwear covers
    • Gas generators
    • Goggles
    • Hand sprayers
    • Handcuffs
    • Handguns
    • Hazardous material protective apparel
    • Infrared lamps
    • Instant print cameras
    • Lasers
    • Masks or accessories
    • Measuring wheels for distance
    • Metal detectors
    • Military rifles
    • Mobile medical services automated external defibrillators AED or hard paddles
    • Mobile medical services first aid kits
    • Narcotic test kits
    • Night sticks
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Physiological recorders
    • Police or security shotguns
    • Police vehicles
    • Protective gloves
    • Radarbased surveillance systems
    • Riot batons
    • Riot helmets
    • Riot shields
    • Rulers
    • Still cameras
    • Surveillance video or audio recorders
    • Tape measures
    • Two way radios
    • Ultraviolet UV lamps
    • Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Desktop publishing software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Geographic information system
    • Graphics or photo imaging software
    • Internet browser software
    • Map creation software
    • Network monitoring software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Presentation software
    • Process mapping and design software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software
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