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Detective skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted expert

Wesley Jennings

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical detective skills. We ranked the top skills for detectives based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.9% of detective resumes contained physical evidence as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a detective needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 detective skills for your resume and career

1. Physical Evidence

Here's how detectives use physical evidence:

Examined crime scenes to gather physical evidence and other information relevant to the identification and prosecution of violators of criminal laws.
Interview and interrogate suspects *Collected, analyzed, interpreted information, documentation of physical evidence.

2. Patrol

Here's how detectives use patrol:

Executed routine patrol and detective duties in a challenging and culturally diverse campus environment.
Supported efforts of patrol and investigative units on specialized enforcement cases and assignments.

3. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how detectives use law enforcement agencies:

Served as case agent for a complex international investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies at all levels.
Formulated intelligence information of offenders which is now maintained on database accessible to several law enforcement agencies.

4. Crime Scenes

Crime scenes refer to places or locations of an offence where forensic evidence may get gathered.

Here's how detectives use crime scenes:

Conducted follow-up investigations, processed crime scenes, prepared and executed search warrants and conducted background investigations on new applicants.
Position was equivalent to a Sergeant supervising Deputies as crime scenes and assisting/supervising follow-up investigations the Deputies were conducting.

5. Insurance Fraud

Insurance fraud refers to any willful illegal act committed with the intent to deceptively receiving payment from an insurer, insurance company, or agent for financial gain or advantage to which they are not entitled. Deceitful claims make up a significant proportion of all claims received by the insurers and cost enormous sums of money each year. This may include the exaggeration of otherwise justified claims, intentional misrepresentation of the facts, or complex organized manipulation of the claims process to achieve financial advantage where no actual loss has occurred.

Here's how detectives use insurance fraud:

Collaborated with insurance companies to identify persons suspected of insurance fraud.
Investigated all automobile and automobile arson Insurance Fraud cases.

6. Public Safety

Public safety can be defined as the well-being or protection of a community, citizen, or nation as a whole. There are 4 basic elements that come under public safety namely: national security, border policy, countering crime, and emergency management.

Here's how detectives use public safety:

Reported incidents or suspicious activity to client representatives, company management, or public safety authorities as appropriate for each circumstance.
Coordinated the Department of Public Safety s Methamphetamine Awareness Initiative.

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7. Child Abuse

When a child who is under 18 is mistreated by an adult, it is considered child abuse. There are many forms of intentional harm and mistreatment for example physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, medical abuse, and neglect in providing adequate basic life necessities.

Here's how detectives use child abuse:

Established current departmental forensic investigation protocol for child abuse, child sexual assault and child neglect
Investigated approximately 100 Child Abuse Cases per year resulting in numerous prosecutions.

8. Burglary

Here's how detectives use burglary:

Provided in-depth investigative work on burglary cases and identified and minimized burglary in precinct.
Assigned as Domestic Violence Coordinator and Burglary Pattern Detective.

9. Criminal Cases

A criminal case is a court proceeding in which a person is charged with committing a crime against the state or the community. Such individuals are brought for trials, to decide they are guilty or not. There are two kinds of criminal cases misdemeanors and felonies. A misdemeanor is a crime on a lower level like traffic offenses or minor assaults. While felonies are offenses on a higher level.

Here's how detectives use criminal cases:

Developed and maintained criminal cases that occurred in my jurisdiction.
Investigated hundreds of criminal cases with many successful prosecutions.

10. Criminal Investigations

Here's how detectives use criminal investigations:

Conducted gaming background investigations and criminal investigations
Conducted criminal investigations in a wide variety of areas, specialized in investigations of violent crimes, property crimes and counter-terrorism.

11. Sexual Assault

Here's how detectives use sexual assault:

Planned and executed surreptitious operations, including phone recordings and surveillance on unclassified felonies such as homicides and serious sexual assaults.
Certified Alaska Police Standards Council instructor in child sexual abuse and exploitation; instructed police recruits in sexual assault investigations.

12. Subpoenas

Subpoenas are formal and legal documents issued mostly by a court or some other government agency that demands the presence of the person the document is addressed to, to show up at court. Subpoenas are issued to individuals whom the court wants to appear either as a witness in a particular case in order to testify or to provide any evidence such as an object or a document.

Here's how detectives use subpoenas:

Drafted/prepared extensive documentation and reports including search and arrest warrants, subpoenas, and other information request forms.
Reviewed and analyzed thousands of documents, issued subpoenas and worked closely with senior officials at financial institutions.

13. Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant іѕ a lеgаl оrdеr signed аnd іѕѕuеd bу a judgе or mаgіѕtrаtе thаt allows оffісеrѕ to аrrеѕt thе person(s) nаmеd in thе wаrrаnt іn rеlаtіоn criminal proceedings. Tо оbtаіn аn аrrеѕt wаrrаnt, оffісеrѕ must соnvіnсе a judge thаt рrоbаblе саuѕе -- a rеаѕоnаblе suspicion bаѕеd оn facts еxіѕtѕ fоr the аrrеѕt.

Here's how detectives use arrest warrants:

Conducted interviews/interrogations and worked with the Prosecutors Office in obtaining arrest warrants for criminal suspects.
Secured court authorizations for search and arrest warrants culminating in violator arrests.

14. Firearms

A firearm is a type of weapon or device used by police, uniformed personnel or other related professional for security and protection purposes. This lethal and destructive weapon can often shoot bullet or missiles. A firearm usually consists of a chamber or barrel, frame body, breech bolt, and a magazine.

Here's how detectives use firearms:

Initiated and conducted investigations concerning illegal narcotics and firearms trafficking and performed official duty as an undercover operative during those investigations.
Investigated criminal activity relating to narcotics, firearms, firearms trafficking (local/interstate) and gang activity.

15. DEA

Drug enforcement agents are specialized law enforcement officers, deployed to fight crime, especially drug-related offenses like the purchase and sale of illegal drugs. DE agents are physically fit and trained with the proper understanding of the law, training, and education.

Here's how detectives use dea:

Supervised all-source intelligence collection, cycle and processes in accordance with FBI and DEA investigative requirements regarding information gaps.
Collaborated investigated efforts across state and federal agencies including ATF, DEA, FBI, and state and federal prosecutors.

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What skills help Detectives find jobs?

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Wesley Jennings

Gillespie Distinguished Scholar, Chair, & Professor, University of Mississippi

Technology proficiency is becoming one of the more sought after skills of those entering the workforce in criminal justice settings as technological advancements are constantly changing how criminals perpetrate their crimes as well as how law enforcement performs their duties and promotes crime prevention. Similarly, an important skill in the criminal justice profession has been and will continue to be critical thinking and analytical skills. This will become more important as the nature of crime, criminal networks, cybercrime, terrorism, etc. is becoming increasing more complex to prevent or investigate.

Do you want to know more?

List of detective skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a detective resume and required skills for a detective to have include:

Physical Evidence
Patrol
Law Enforcement Agencies
Crime Scenes
Insurance Fraud
Public Safety
Child Abuse
Burglary
Criminal Cases
Criminal Investigations
Sexual Assault
Subpoenas
Arrest Warrants
Firearms
DEA
Domestic Violence
Court Testimony

Grand Jury
Background Investigations
Incident Reports
Federal Agencies
Federal Laws
Investigative Reports
CCTV
Police Reports
Background Checks
Police Academy
Forensic Evidence
Criminal Acts
Court Cases
Evidence Collection
Court Proceedings
Financial Crimes
Management System

ATF
Property Crimes
Federal Bureau
Criminal Law
Identity Theft
Auto Theft
Investigative Techniques
Sex Crimes
Violent Crimes
Nypd
Patrol Division
Federal Courts
Robbery
Internal Investigations
Credit Card Fraud
Crime Prevention

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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