Featured items

There are no featured items on this page

Return to page navigation menu

Detective - Personal requirements

Kaihōpara Taihara

Skills & knowledge

Detectives need to have:

knowledge of police procedures, including how to investigate crimes
knowledge of police policies and the laws relating to police work
knowledge of how the court system works
knowledge of a range of cultures
good communication and people skills, including interviewing and listening skills
conflict resolution and negotiation skills
problem-solving skills
skill in analysing information and preparing written and verbal reports
record-keeping skills.

A detective on the side of a road at night talking to a man.

Detectives need good interviewing and listening skills

Brett using a torch to examine a door frame.

Brett checking a door frame for signs of forced entry

Personal Qualities

Detectives need to be:

accurate, with an eye for detail
adaptable
honest
able to keep information private
mature and responsible
firm and fair
able to remain calm in emergencies
motivated, determined and disciplined
able to relate to people from a range of cultures and backgrounds
able to work well in a team.

"You’ve got to be a proactive person who doesn’t need to be told what to do or supervised. And you need to be flexible, because you’ll have to work in a lot of different environments."

Brett - Detective

Physical Requirements

Detectives need to be fit, healthy and strong. They also need to have good hearing, good eyesight (with or without corrective lenses) and normal colour vision.

Previous page - Tasks and specialisations

Next page - How to get into the job

Updated September 2009

Return to page navigation menu