Is there anyone on here that works for a police department?

Question

I am looking for someone who is able to give me some specifics about becoming a csi. I am currently in college majoring in forensic investigations. My questions are more about training, average salaries, current opportunities.... If any one can help me out with some answers I'd appreciate it.

Answer 1

There is no such thing as CSI Detectives.

It is all Hollywood make believe.

Real Police Detectives work cases. In real life "CSI" or Crime Scene Techs are non-sworn persons who work only at the discretion of the case Detective and take photos and collect and package evidence and finger prints.

If you want to work Forensics, you will need to get a job in a police lab, there you spend all day analyzing the evidence collected by and submitted by the Crime Scene Technicians.

Neither of the latter ever investigate the crime, interview witnesses or suspects, carry guns, have arrest powers or anything like the TV show.

If you want to do that, go get a job as a street cop, hump calls for 5 or 10 years and then get made Detective and work your way to Sex Crimes or Homicide.

If you want to work as a Forensic Pathologist, a Medical Examiner, that is a Doctorate Degree that would be harder to get then being a regular Medical Doctor. There you do autopsies and try to figure out not what killed them.. but eliminate what did not kill them. That job also has no contact with witnesses, suspects and has no arrest powers.

Just trying to set you straight. The TV show has caused so many, especially young people, to get a false sense of what police work is. They think they go to school and get a degree and suddenly they are working in major case squads. Isn’t happening.

Answer 2

It really depends upon where you live, ie what state you work for. In SC you would obviously be offered a good job starting around $27,000 in the county I work for (if not a bit more). You would have to attend police officer training as our CSI officers are police officers. Once you are done with that, you will attend further training and then be appointed a CSI trainer. Please don't take all your training to be 'this is the way it is' as much of CSI is soooo boring. Anyway, depending on your degree and your ability to pick up what you are doing depends on your advancement. The opportunities are great as you can take your forensic experience and transfer it over to something like th medical examiners office. Hope this helps you out!

Answer 3

The question is kind of broad but I will do my best. In Florida for example with your college training you can easily get a job (provided your background is clean and have no issues with drugs, credit etc) with a smaller agency to start and learn great basic skills. You would start around 25 K with great benefits (medical, pension, insurance etc.) say in the Miami area but can make a ton of OT as they are always on call (I have seen TECHs make in the 60s). Upon being hired you would be placed with a senior Tech or Techs who would train you for a period of time and release you when they felt you were ready. You then are placed on a shift and basically handle the crime scene needs for that shift and write reports etc.
You can then advance in your career to other areas if you wish.
As far as opportunities go I feel you would have no problem getting a job upon graduation at all.
I work in the Miami area and we had recent job availabilities and I could not believe the candidates that applied (drugs, criminal pasts, no degree etc..) and in addition there were not that many applicants. People just don't come running to a job where they have to process dead bodies at 4 am if you can imagine that.
Also.... CSI is nothing ..and I mean nothing like the show...but it is rewarding (only if you want to do it) and if you work hard you can make a huge difference in the resolution of crimes and have a huge impact out there. Good luck