Experience

• Police departments still value experience over education. Therefore, most police departments hire detectives who first prove themselves through real-world action as patrol officers. In order to become an officer, most departments require an applicant to be at least 20 years of age and have a high school diploma.
  
  

Education

• Although most police departments do not require you to take college courses, many departments encourage prospective applicants to earn an associate's or bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Additionally, applicants must pass a physical exam (which includes strength, endurance and agility components) and take a civil service exam. The competition for positions in any police department is often intense; thus, doing very well on both exams is important.
  
  

Continuing Education

• Once hired by a police department, a patrol officer is placed on probation for anywhere from 6 months to 5 years depending on department policy. If the patrol officer has not already earned a degree in criminal justice or a related field, he is encouraged to pursue that course during this probationary period. Many police departments reward degree-holding officers with higher pay.
  
  

Detective Exam

• After the probationary period is over, a patrol officer is eligible to take the detective exam. The exam assesses the officer's knowledge of law, protocol and procedure--some of which is developed from on-the-job training and some of which derives from criminal justice courses.
  
  

Job Prospects and Salary

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of officer and detective positions available should increase by about 10 percent between the years 2008 and 2018; therefore, job prospects should be favorable for qualified applicants. Although the BLS doesn't distinguish between detectives and patrol officers but rather tabulates statistics under a joint heading, the median annual salary of $51,410 (2008) suggests that detectives will generally earn more than the median.