Detective work is varied. Depending on your team and the investigations you’re working on, you could be:
- speaking with victims and witnesses
- interviewing suspects
- gathering and reviewing evidence
- attending crime scenes
- making arrests
- preparing case files
- working with other policing teams and partner organisations
- safeguarding vulnerable people
- managing ongoing investigations
Some investigations may be resolved quickly, while others can be complex and continue for weeks or months.
Supporting victims and communities
Being a detective isn't just about finding evidence and solving crimes. You'll often be working with people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
You’ll need to listen, communicate clearly, build trust and make fair and considered decisions. Empathy, curiosity and understanding different perspectives are an important part of being an effective investigator.
Managing investigations
As your skills and experience develop, you’ll take greater responsibility for your own investigations.
This can include gathering evidence, interviewing people, identifying lines of enquiry, preparing case files and working with colleagues and partners to progress cases.
You'll be supported as you develop the confidence and professional competence to manage your own caseload.
Working as part of a team
You won't investigate crime alone. You could work alongside uniformed officers, other investigators, safeguarding teams, forensic specialists, intelligence teams and partner organisations, bringing together different skills and information to progress an investigation.
Your working pattern
Policing operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As an operational detective, your working pattern can include early and late shifts, nights, weekends and bank holidays. Your exact working pattern will depend on the team you work within.
Where could you work?
You could work within investigative teams across the Avon and Somerset force area, supporting communities in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Somerset.
Where you're initially based will depend on operational requirements.
Where could your career take you?
Becoming a Detective Constable can open the door to a wide range of investigative career opportunities.
As your experience grows, you could have opportunities to develop your career within different areas of investigation and specialist policing.
You don't need to know where you want your career to take you before you join.
You'll build experience, work with different teams and discover where your skills and interests could take you.