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Career Exploration

Police Identification and Records Officers

Also called: Crime Scene Investigator, Crime Scene Technician, Criminalist, Forensic Specialist

What they do:

Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.

On the job, you would:
  • Maintain records of evidence and write and review reports.
  • Package, store and retrieve evidence.
  • Submit evidence to supervisors, crime labs, or court officials for legal proceedings.
On the job, you'll need:

Safety and Government

  • law and government
  • public safety and security

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Business

  • customer service
  • administrative services

Basic Skills

  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • listen and understand what people say
  • read and understand what is written

Ideas and Logic

  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • order or arrange things

Visual Understanding

  • see hidden patterns
  • quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things

Attention

  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Conventional

People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.

  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Adaptability/Flexibility
  • Initiative
  • Stress Tolerance

Graphics or photo imaging software

  • DesignWare 3D EyeWitness
  • Digital Image Management Solutions Crime Scene

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Data base user interface and query software

  • Microsoft Access
  • National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Average.

New job opportunities are likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $86,280

Education

Associate's degree or bachelor's degree is usually needed.