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The differences between internal affairs investigators and special investigation unit investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an internal affairs investigator and a special investigation unit investigator. Additionally, an internal affairs investigator has an average salary of $54,189, which is higher than the $49,213 average annual salary of a special investigation unit investigator.
The top three skills for an internal affairs investigator include patrol, background checks and conduct interviews. The most important skills for a special investigation unit investigator are management system, BSA/AML, and fincen.
An internal affairs investigator is responsible for investigating an alleged violation committed by a person or company, such as misuse of funds, misconduct, corruption among company officials, or other concerns involving employees and staff. They also monitor wrongful accusations. Other duties include writing investigative data and reports, conducting interrogations and interviews with all parties involved in an accusation, and providing testimony.
A special investigation unit investigator works at an insurance company to detect and thwart fraudulent claims and activities. To carry out their duties, they must coordinate with staff to gather and analyze client information, perform research and analysis, travel to different sites to observe and investigate, and conduct interviews as needed. They may also investigate employees, examine their actions and information. Moreover, a special investigation unit investigator must maintain an active communication line with staff for an efficient and smooth workflow.
Internal affairs investigators and special investigation unit investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Internal Affairs Investigator | Special Investigation Unit Investigator | |
| Average salary | $54,189 | $49,213 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $115,000 | Between $32,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | - |
| Best paying company | Amazon | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an internal affairs investigator and a special investigation unit investigator in terms of educational background:
| Internal Affairs Investigator | Special Investigation Unit Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between internal affairs investigators' and special investigation unit investigators' demographics:
| Internal Affairs Investigator | Special Investigation Unit Investigator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.0% Female, 28.0% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.8% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |