Becoming An Investigator

An investigator is one of the key persons in law enforcement service, but besides that, an investigator is a person who usually works for local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies, they question suspected criminals, crime victims and witnesses, look for evidence, and prepare reports about criminal activity. In addition, they might conduct surveillance or testify in court. While holding those roles law enforcement requires for a criminal investigator to have the certain characteristic to effectively deliver on the job: investigating today is very complex. Criminal investigators are expected to perform a variety of job duties to discover information that can be used to solve crimes and prosecute criminals, such as, collect and use forensic …show more content…
Criminal investigators should be able to identify complex problems and review related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. Top crime scene investigators are natural problem-solvers. They combine science aptitude, analytical skills, and critical thinking to piece together evidence and testimony. In essence, they try to develop stories based on their interpretations of evidence and theories of circumstantial events. As a result, this helps when working with other officers and the district attorney to formulate the motive and the likely way in which the crime transpired; attorneys need to tell stories in court to persuade judges and juries on how to view the evidence. Moreover, in order to piece together the evidence and witness statements obtained during an investigation, the investigator must be a good problem solver. In many cases, witness statements will be contradictory, so the investigator must use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to figure out what really happened in a case. Critical thinking skills also allow the investigator to look past the obvious solutions and analyze evidence …show more content…
An investigator must maintain a high degree of courage. For example, their job relies on them to be brave and have strong emotions when dealing with crime scenes because they experience dead bodies or tragic events. Investigators must be able to control their emotions. In many cases, the investigator may deal with issues that make them angry; however, expressing this anger can harm the case and cause witnesses to withhold information. In addition, the investigator must show empathy to victims and clients and create a safe environment for them to share important details. Investigators have to demonstrate moral courage which means they have the strength of character to stand on their own feet when difficult decisions have to be made, moreover, to stick to principles and conduct that which they believe to be right regardless of what pressures are put upon them to act otherwise. Equally important, it is imperative that the investigator displays courage on a daily basis because this society today is very dangerous, unexpected and unpredictable. Investigators have to be ready and prepared for all obstacles and interactions with threatening citizens, and all cases such as