Do you have to be a police officer before you can become a criminal investigator?

Question

Do you have to be a police officer before you can become a criminal investigator? What process is involved?

Answer 1

Yes, everyone starts off as a rookie in uniform, then works a number of years in street level Policing. Gaining experience in a number of practical parts of  the job.

No body walks in off the street and goes directly into the investigator's 's  job, it does not work that way.

Once a uniform officer had shown that he /she is able to work well and has become more experienced, they  can apply to take the basic investigator's college course, and if they pass that course, they  may be assigned as a temp investigator with a more experienced  partner.

Normally it takes about 5 years in uniform with good monthly assesments from the brass, to be considered for the investigator's course.

Jim B. Toronto.