Detective: Not Quite As Sensational As In The Movies

Introduction
If your image of being a detective begins and ends with Dick Tracy, then get it out of your head right now. It’s not as glamorous, and you won’t be facing off against Big Boy, Mumbles or Prune Face. What you really need, first and foremost, is a love for mysteries. You know, the ‘who dun it’-type of novels and movies. Secondly, you have to be able to think outside of the box. Abstract thinking and being able to string together evidence to mentally recreate crimes are essential. So, if you lack imagination, you’re screwed. As far as formal training goes, it all begins in the police academy. You’ll have to pay your dues as a lowly officer doing shit jobs for a while, but eventually, you’ll be able to take the detective’s exam. The test itself consists of a written and physical part. In the written, you’ll be subjected to lots of reasoning and logic puzzles. In the physical, you’ll have to do a lot of running and push-ups.

Job Function
I love my job. Let me state that for the record. It took a lot of work to get here, but it was worth it. Solving homicides and bringing closure to people’s lives are supremely satisfying. Daily, my job entails working on various case files, following different leads and usually examining fresh crime scenes. The worst part of this routine is the sifting through case files and doing paperwork. I hate it. For some people, I imagine the crime scenes might be tough too, because you’ll see some gory, disgusting things. But it comes with the territory, and if you can’t stomach it, then maybe this is not the profession for you. Advertisement
Lifestyle
Being a detective IS your life. There are no breaks. No real time off. But, if you are a good detective, you’ll always want to on the job trying to solve crimes anyway. It frustrates me going home with unsolved crimes, but it’s the nature of the occupation. You won’t always be able to solve everything. Also, if a major crime occurs when you are home, then expect to be called in to the scene. That’s just how it goes.

Additional Information
Be tough, be smart and think outside of the box. All clues point to the truth, and as a detective, your job is to dig them up!