Detective - Working conditions
Kaihōpara Taihara
Working Conditions
Detectives work in a variety of settings and conditions, including police station offices, courts and cars. They may also travel to different sites around the country and overseas to help investigate crimes and to attend conferences.
Some situations may be distressing or dangerous.
A detective checking a suspect's pockets for anything illegal
Detectives use two-way radios for communication as they often work in conditions that may be difficult or dangerous
Equipment
Equipment detectives may use includes: - computers, including criminal investigation databases and tools
- phones and other office equipment
- notebooks and pens
- two-way radios
- handcuffs, batons, firearms, pepper spray, stab-proof vests and other safety equipment
- cars and other vehicles.
Hours
Detectives work long and irregular hours during some investigations. Their hours include nights, weekends and public holidays. At times, they may need to be on call.
Contact with people
Detectives work independently and as part of a team. They interact with a wide variety of people, including:
- police officers and officers from specialist sections, such as the fingerprint and dog-handling sections
- social workers
- lawyers and court staff
- people from government agencies such as the New Zealand Customs Service and the Department of Corrections
- members of the public.
Detectives may also supervise small groups of staff or groups working on criminal investigations.
Brett briefing another detective in his team
Detectives often interact with the public
Updated
September 2009
