Part Three -- Duties of the Detectives

This is the third part of the three part series I wrote on the duties of uniform police officers, crime scene officers, and detectives. Once the crime scene officers have finished, then the detectives interview any witnesses. They also notify the next of kin about any murder victims. The witnesses are brought to the station for the interview. They are placed in separate rooms where a detective can question them separately. A detailed statement is done in an enclosed room. There is a table and a few chairs. The room contains no windows except for the window on the door. The detectives want the witnesses to be relaxed and not distracted. After the witnesses have given their statement, they may be interviewed again if there are discrepancies in stories. All the information goes to the supervisor who is the Homicide Sergeant. He makes a detailed list of the information and directs the investigation. The detectives also interview the coroner who does the autopsy, which is 10 to 12 hours after the body was taken to the morgue. When suspects are interviewed, they are left in the interview room for two to three hours before the detective enters. They want the suspect to become nervous so he or she will admit to the crime they have committed or what they do know about the crime. Once a detective starts asking questions about the crime scene and knows he will place the suspect under arrest, he has to read that person his or her rights. After the uniform officers, crime scene officers, and detectives have finished their investigation, they will meet again. They will also write their reports on what they did during the investigation. All of the evidence is put in the property room and bagged separately. Sometimes it takes several months before a case will enter the court. It can also take several months or years to solve a case. Sometimes, they may never be solved, especially burglaries.

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