Interested in Detective Work

[rattler29]

Hi,
I am new to the forum. I have been reading it over the last couple weeks. I became interested in being a police officer and then I realized my goal was to eventually become a detective. So, I am trying to find out how to increase my chances of success. I find that most departments require 3-5 years of patrol work and getting the position can be based on many things. At many departments it looks like it's based on reputation, testing, and even seniority. (I'm flexible in terms of location.) If you do patrol work for years and cannot become a detective, can you transfer to another department and apply for the job? Even if you're a good candidate are you likely to get passed over for someone that has 15 years of law enforcement experience? I have been told additional education isn't necessary. I have a bachelors in an unrelated field. Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer my questions.
Matt

[Monty Ealerman]

In Chicago, it helps to have a phone call (i.e. an influential person on your side). A PO who brings in 400 absentee ballots can have pretty much any non-exempt job he wants within a year or two. If you hold sway over almost all of a significantly large voting bloc, you can have a bigger job and another bigger job and another bigger job, like so-and-so (courtesy precludes my mentioning his name in this context, although I might do so in an only slightly different one) has proven you can.

[chktovegas]

It all depends on several factors: ex. leadership, politics, etc........ In my department, anyone can be a detective. As a matter of fact our investigations division is regarded as a big f*&^ing joke. When you have people who become detectives after 3 months of patrol, or none at all (we've had several), how can you honestly expect good results. We have positions available in investigations, but no one in the right mind wants to work for the man in charge. If I leave patrol to go to investigations, I will actually take a pay cut....... yes a pay cut!!!!!!!!!!!! The will give me a joke of a raise, a MON-FRI postion, but I will lose out in OT pay and side jobs. Most departments require a college degree, several years experience, an entrance test, or all the above. Those are the agencies that will actually have a respectable investigations division.