What makes a great homicide detective

VG: No. I never worked in a precinct until I became a detective. TPF was a special unit that would come in, whether it was a riot or to patrol a high crime neighborhood, and our job was to make arrests. If we stayed active, we were almost guaranteed a promotion. In two and a half years I became a detective and did short stints in narcotics, precinct detective squad, robbery and then a street crime type unit.

I never had an opportunity to work in a homicide unit as a detective, but I got a taste of what it was like to work murders as a precinct detective. Once I got promoted to sergeant I was sent back to uniform for the "cleansing process.

PIM: But you did get into homicide at some point. VG: Eventually I got into homicide as a detective sergeant and ended up in the 7 th Homicide Zone, the busiest zone in the city with over homicides within a two and half square mile area of the Bronx. It gave me an opportunity to really get involved in the cases, because unlike the detectives, I did not have to make arrests, go to court, grand jury or do the hundreds of other things that detectives have to do.

PIM: As a detective sergeant you had the ability to oversee the cases, rather than having the responsibility of doing the paperwork, making arrests, and doing the hundreds of other little things that detectives get involved with? VG: Right! I could see each case through. I could go down to the autopsies. I could put stuff together, and I began to formulate a protocol procedure that would work. And every time that we had a success, I'd call a team meeting to discuss how the case broke.

What did we do? How did we do it? At first there was resistance from some of the older detectives: "If we tell other teams how we broke the case, then they'll do the same thing! That's the whole point. We're supposed to learn from each other! I had already obtained my Bachelor's degree from Iona College, and had completed my first Master's degree, in Professional Studies, for which I had to do a thesis.

I decided to research my own job. That's how "Practical Homicide" started. I began to codify the procedures that were effective and wrote articles for Law and Order Magazine. VG: There was a "Guide" that told you what forms to use, how to make notifications, take a day off.

It was a "guide" that told you how to do everything except how to solve a crime. Meanwhile, I began writing articles for a law enforcement magazine and I started getting some positive feedback. It was quite apparent that they knew nothing about homicide investigations from an operational standpoint.

They had other people's photographs and their stories. The bottom line was that the people who"worked " the street had the information, and that's when I decided to write a book that would include the FBI's forensic procedures, that I felt were good, but not their tactics because they didn't really have any.

PIM: How long did it take you to write the book? As their investigation began they wanted to know, "By whose authority did you write a book? I tried to tell them that it was the "First Amendment," but they didn't think that was very funny. Fortunately, the FBI was part of the book, and the Police Commissioner at the time thought that I had made a major contribution to the field.

Also, the book didn't make any money, so the NYPD dropped the investigation. The book wasn't about making money, it was about writing a book on how to do homicide investigations. PIM: Well, now that the book was written, and since it didn't make any money, what made you go on? VG: Because I believe in what I do. I put in everything that they told me I couldn't put into the first edition. Then, after watching the O.

Simpson trial and seeing both sides waving my book at each other, I became a spokesperson for "Inside Edition. It pissed me off, because it kind of brought me into the case. I would have to watch and read about everything that was going on, so I could intelligently respond to the issues.

Actually, when that verdict came in, I felt like I had suffered a loss. This guy was guilty, pure and simple. There was more evidence in that case than you could shake a stick at. But, it motivated me to write the third edition, and that's where we are today.

I wrote the third edition specifying why O. Simpson did it, but more importantly, I brought the book up to speed with the forensic procedures and today the book is the international protocol. PIM: Vernon, in a perfect world only guilty people would be arrested and convicted, but the reality is different.

What advice would you give to private investigators who handle death cases for the defense? VG: I personally handled a defense case as a private investigator for a former prosecutor, who had become a defense attorney. The accused had been charged with murder, based upon an alleged confession and witness statements.

The first thing I did was request the complete police file, which had been turned over to the defense through discovery. It was my opinion that the confession was bogus, based upon my experience with murder confessions and police vernacular. Upon reading the statements provided by the so-called eyewitnesses, it was apparent that there was something wrong with both the times and circumstances.

I reconstructed the event, based upon my own timeline, and found a major discrepancy in the state's case. The time of death was wrong and the statements of the witnesses were contrived to protect the real suspect. Furthermore, the police had written the defendant's confession based upon their interpretation of the scene, which did not match up with the reconstruction or the physical evidence that had been analyzed.

Basically, the truth was discovered in the file, which consisted of independent police reports filed by officers who had not obtained the confession, as well as the forensic reports, which matched my crime scene reconstruction.

During the trial we identified the real perpetrators as well as their motivation, which had nothing to do with lust murder. The crime scene had been staged as a sexual event, when in reality it was jealousy and revenge.

PIM: Vernon, you've been doing this for quite some time now. What's the most significant change you've seen in homicide investigations? VG: I've been at this for about 35 years now, and undoubtedly the answer is forensics.

I look at the O. Because some of the evidence was not handled as it should have been, it raised issues that the defense was allowed to attack, and blow smoke at. That was a "wake-up call" for all law enforcement, that forensics and the way you handle the evidence is very important. I travel around the country with my Practical Homicide course, and O. The sad part is that it happens every day, those mistakes.

You don't hear about it because it's not a publicity case. This current Scott Peterson case is like a breath of fresh air. In Peterson's trial there was a scarcity of physical evidence, yet the jury convicted based on the overwhelming circumstances of the event. PIM: What are some of the most common ways that people attempt to make murders appear like suicides? VG : The most common methods of "staging" the crime scenes are to make a murder appear to be a suicide. Placing a gun in the hand of a victim after the victim has been shot lack of contact wounds are red flags.

Followed by the alleged "home invasion," during which a woman is murdered and presented nude or semi-dressed, suggesting a sexual motivation. These are very common in domestic violence homicides and the deaths are usually "overkill" type injuries. Furthermore, rape-kits are usually negative. Lastly, the alleged "accidental fire", after which the victim is found badly charred or burned.

In these cases a forensic pathologist will be required to ascertain the level presence of carbon monoxide in the blood, as well as any soot in the esophagus consistent with the person being alive at the time of fire.

PIM: Aside from good evidence and a basic knowledge of forensics, are there any attributes that make someone a good homicide investigator? VG: Someone who has perseverance, a desire to be an advocate, and a desire to learn tactics, procedures, and forensic techniques. Everything I've done for the past 35 years has been to make myself a better murder cop.

I went back to school for a second Master's degree. I've taken all sorts of eclectic courses, including 24 hours of forensic medicine, to make myself more knowledgeable about homicides. I've been able to integrate the things I've learned into this product called "Practical Homicide Investigation. The instruction is heavy- duty stuff. It's not for everybody. Better yet, you play a key role in bringing bad guys to justice. When a murder is reported, homicide detectives and their CSI unit are sent out to evaluate the crime scene.

They examine the scene, talk with witnesses and collect evidence. While the CSI unit processes the evidence, homicide detectives interview witnesses and suspects. The sooner they can act on information and evidence, the better their chances of solving the ultimate crime.

If you want to become a homicide detective, you have to first start as a police officer. The common personality type that succeeds as a homicide detective is enterprising, can work independently, and it goes without saying that detectives make it a point of pride to solve puzzles.

They also need a lot of integrity, must be able to tolerate stress, and pay attention to the smallest details. While college and academy courses build essential skills in areas such as crime scene investigation, interrogation, and interviewing, officers must hone their skills through professional experience.

After gaining enough experience, officers can apply to become a detective. Larger police departments may have sections specifically dedicated to investigating homicides. While homicide detectives perform unique work with few professional analogues, they employ many of the same soft skills as workers in other industries, though commonly put to different uses.

Communication plays a vital role in police work, as detectives must communicate effectively with other law enforcement personnel, suspects, interview subjects, and the public. They must also be able to express their thoughts clearly in writing in order to document details about an investigation. Along with communication skills, detectives need a strong sense of empathy to help them understand the perspectives of different people involved in a homicide investigation.

Exercising empathy can make interview suspects more forthcoming and may also help detectives interrogate suspects more effectively. A keen eye for detail can serve as one of the most useful tools for a homicide investigator.

Detectives must pay close attention during crime scene investigations and be able to put together pieces of evidence to pick up details the rest of the public might normally overlook. As with almost any career, homicide detectives generally earn higher salaries with more experience. The necessities of public safety ensure that jobs for detectives will remain in demand, though the publicly funded nature of the job means demand for detectives may vary by location and state and local budgets.

Given the competitive nature of the field, departments often seek out detectives with specialized skills, such as military training or fluency in a second language. Detective salaries vary by state.

Here are the median salaries for detectives and criminal investigators by states, according to the BLS :. Being a homicide detective requires a confluence of many different skills and traits. Are you empathetic and detail oriented? Love to do research and talk to people? And, you must have some patience, both with the people in the field and with your career. In addition to detective work, you might be interested in exploring other careers in law enforcement.

Other protective service professions include:. An AA is a two-year program that gives you a foundational understanding of the criminal justice system and can prepare you for entry-level jobs in law enforcement. These programs are generally available from four-year colleges both public and private. Yes, you can. This allows you to earn your degree while you work, raise a family, or tackle other important endeavors.