Occupation
Police detective
Investigates serious or complex crimes once the initial response is over, building a case file that has to stand up in court. The work is mostly interviewing, tracing and analyzing evidence, and coordinating with forensic, analytical, and prosecution colleagues. Case files are long-running and disclosure obligations are strict.
Also known as: Criminal investigator · Detective constable · Plain-clothes investigator
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Occupation content
Part of Public safety, defence and emergency response
A visual day in the work
What the work involves
Review occurrence reports and decide which lines of enquiry to pursue
Plan and conduct interviews with victims, witnesses, and suspects
Request forensic examination and interpret the returned results
Apply for judicial authorizations such as warrants and production orders
Prepare disclosure packages and briefs for prosecutors
Testify about the investigation in court
Entry-route stepper
How people commonly enter
Internal transfer or promotion from front-line policing into an investigative unit
Service investigator development program with accredited investigation courses
Direct-entry detective scheme offered by some police services
Typical training: Varies by employer or jurisdiction
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions. Confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Pathways: Common in public service
Work-context map
Typical work context
- Team based
- Varied work
- High responsibility
- Shift work
- Public facing
Team based · Varied work · High responsibility · Shift work · Public facing
Related interests
- Investigative (analytical)
- Enterprising (leading)
- Social (helping)
Investigative (analytical) · Enterprising (leading) · Social (helping)
Related aptitude preparation
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Skills to practise
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Public safety, defence and emergency response.
Official sources
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Public safety, defence and emergency response in Canada, not a figure for Police detective. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Public safety, defence and emergency response family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Public safety, defence and emergency response: education pathways
Some roles in Public safety, defence and emergency response may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Public safety, defence and emergency response: licensing
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