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Detective sergeant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical detective sergeant skills. We ranked the top skills for detective sergeants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 19.5% of detective sergeant resumes contained patrol as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a detective sergeant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 detective sergeant skills for your resume and career

1. Patrol

Here's how detective sergeants use patrol:

Applied proactive patrol, initiated/effected arrests, provided expert court testimonies, investigated crimes, and wrote detailed incident/investigative reports.
Patrol premises of business establishment in order to preserve order and enforce standards of decorum established by management.

2. Evidence Collection

Here's how detective sergeants use evidence collection:

Process crime scenes, (photographs, evidence collection and evidence processing in field and office).
Processed crime scenes to include evidence collection as well as supervised the operation of the Evidence Room.

3. Law Enforcement Agencies

Here's how detective sergeants use law enforcement agencies:

Developed and delivered training seminars focused on managing missing persons investigations to NJSP recruits and fellow statewide law enforcement agencies.
Supervised and participated in under cover surveillance and details involving uniform and other law enforcement agencies.

4. Homicide

Here's how detective sergeants use homicide:

Investigate all other criminal cases to include drug-related homicide, felony fugitive apprehension and Organized Crime.
Served as Homicide Investigator, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigator and Juvenile and FamilyServices Investigator.

5. Burglary

Here's how detective sergeants use burglary:

Supervised and investigated numerous electronic wiretap investigations involving burglary rings, narcotics organizations, and organized crime syndicates.
Supervised the Detective Squad and oversaw all investigations primarily for burglary and robbery.

6. 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 detective sergeants use criminal cases:

Collaborated with prosecutor and external agencies to present criminal cases and resolve problems.
Evaluated and determined on a daily basis, which criminal cases will be assigned to the 8 detectives under my supervision.

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7. Crime Scene Processing

Here's how detective sergeants use crime scene processing:

Specialized in crime scene processing, interviews and interrogations and evidence management.
Trained newly assigned personnel in criminal investigation techniques, crime scene processing and interview and interrogation.

8. 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 detective sergeants use child abuse:

Tapped to lead new sex crimes/child abuse unit, founded Child Advocacy Center.
Investigate sex crimes, child abuse and all crimes of a violent nature.

9. Sexual Assault

Here's how detective sergeants use sexual assault:

Instructed seminars for International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Alabama Domestic Violence Conference.
Supervised and conducted investigations, interviews regarding homicide/sexual assault-related arrests.

10. Financial Crimes

Financial crime is any crime committed by or against a person in connection with money or financial services or markets that results in financial loss. In addition, it includes any crime against property that involves the illegal conversion of the property for personal use and benefit.

Here's how detective sergeants use financial crimes:

Constructed long-cycle cases analyzing and painstakingly assembling spreadsheets and evidence chains chronicling financial crimes.
Investigate all types of financial crimes, ranging from Petty Misdemeanors to Class A Felonies.

11. 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 detective sergeants use subpoenas:

Supervised detectives attaining search warrants, subpoenas and financial/phone/computer records.
Delivered subpoenas and other documents as requested by attorneys.

12. Background Investigations

Here's how detective sergeants use background investigations:

Supervised and conducted full background investigations of incoming personnel under the New Jersey State Police supervision and guidelines.
Conduct background investigations and assist with internal investigations of departmental employees.

13. Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a pattern of violent, intimidating, or abusive behavior in any relationship committed by someone within the victim's circle - partner, ex-partner, parents, family, and friends, to gain or maintain power and control over the victim. This can be emotional, sexual, social, financial, economic, psychological, spiritual, and/or physical abuse.

Here's how detective sergeants use domestic violence:

Researched, designed and administered domestic violence and juvenile training for entire department.
Developed new domestic violence protocol, threat assessment program, field training program, investigations unit for USA Police.

14. Federal Agencies

Federal agencies are specialized departments of government set up by the government to perform specific duties. They can have responsibilities such as management of resources, overlooking of financial position of industries, national security issues, and so on.

Here's how detective sergeants use federal agencies:

Coordinated with agencies within the State of New Jersey, as well as out-of-state and federal agencies.
Develop and maintain a working relationship local, state, and federal agencies.

15. 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 detective sergeants use firearms:

Certified by NYS Municipal Police Training Council as a General Topics Instructor and certified as a NYS Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor.
Assisted with writing and the execution of Search & Seizure Warrants; seized currency and firearms related to narcotic activity.

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List of detective sergeant skills to add to your resume

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

Patrol
Evidence Collection
Law Enforcement Agencies
Homicide
Burglary
Criminal Cases
Crime Scene Processing
Child Abuse
Sexual Assault
Financial Crimes
Subpoenas
Background Investigations
Domestic Violence
Federal Agencies
Firearms
Police Academy
Background Checks

Investigative Reports
Incident Reports
Internal Investigations
Court Testimony
Grand Jury
Death Investigations
Physical Evidence
Critical Incidents
Federal Bureau
Citizen Complaints
Detective Bureau
Violent Crimes
Crime Prevention
Local Laws
Identity Theft
Arrest Warrants
Community Relations

Patrol Division
Property Crimes
Performance Evaluations
Crime Trends
State Laws
Computer Crimes
Swat
Auto Theft
Sex Crimes
Court Proceedings
K-9
ATF
Robbery
Crime Patterns
Intelligence Gathering
Court Cases

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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