Becoming a crime scene investigator can be a great way to let your powers of observance shine. If you have a love for law enforcement and serving your community, there is no better way to serve than by securing an investigator job with your local or state agency. As a detective, you won’t only be working on gruesome crimes – like they show in the movies and on TV – you will also be working on non-violent crimes too, like corporate and political corruption. To become a crime scene investigator, it is important to know exactly how to work your way to the top. Here are five career development tips for crime scene investigators.
- Go to school. Having an education will provide you with the qualification you need for a lot of different fields and industries, but if you really want to succeed as a crime scene investigator, you want to have at least four years of college under your belt. Specifically, you should be focusing your studies on criminal law and forensics. If you really want to take it up a notch, you could get your doctorate.
- Log hours as a police officer. The first ladder in the rung – when it comes to working your way up in the field of law enforcement – is to work as a police officer. As a police officer, you will be patrolling the streets and getting first hand experience as a keeper of peace in a certain community – maybe even your own community. More specifically, you will garner experience at crime scenes – learning how to log evidence, write down witness reports and catalogue items. Having all of this experience will be vital as a crime scene investigator.
- Get experience in a crime lab. As a crime scene investigator, you will be working in a lab much of the time – looking at evidence, like blood samples, DNA samples and fingerprints. So, as you are working your way up in your career, you want to build your knowledge base when it comes to utilizing a laboratory to solve cases. Today’s scientific advancements have solved countless cases, but it also takes the keen of eye of an observant investigator to actually spot the right information.
- Work in the private sector. Oftentimes, private investigators will spend time with a private military or law enforcement consulting company, like Global International Security Services, to build a strong knowledge base. Not only will you build a knowledge base, but you will also earn advanced skills when it comes to investigations, especially if you are working on corporate cases in multiple different countries.
- Always stay up to date. If you really want to succeed as a crime scene investigator, you always want to stay up to date on the latest information and technology. New books, studies and information are coming out every single day pertaining to the field. On top of constantly reading and studying, you may also want to visit seminars and lectures. At the end of the day, crime scene investigation requires life long education.
Summary
This article sets out five career development steps for anyone who wants to become a crime scene investigator. It recommends a four-year degree focused on criminal law and forensics, starting out as a police officer to gain experience at crime scenes, building up time in a crime lab, and working in the private sector to broaden your investigative skills.
Questions this article raises
- Which degree subjects are most useful for a crime scene investigator?
- How long do most people spend as police officers before moving into investigation?
- What kind of private-sector work counts as relevant experience?
