Detective/Forensic Investigator

Detective/Forensic Investigator Cindi Headman Criminal Justice 1010-046

Detective/Forensic Investigator

1. Job Title Detective/ Forensic Investigator 2. Wage Scale Starting $35,000 and up to $98,000, is based off of the geographical area and also the amount and type of experience attained. 3. Benefits (Medical insurance, retirement, etc.) Medical benefits are offered at a fee, and retirement is now at 25 years 4. Education requirements High school graduate and Police academy graduate. To get promoted to Administration a degree is required. 5. Promotion Opportunities Depending on your years and education you can move up to Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, and chief. 6. Application Process Physical fitness test, an interview with administration, background check, and an interview with the chief.

Detective/Forensic Investigator

7. Job Duties The duties vary depending on where you are in the department. The position as a forensic investigator consists of processing all items of evidence brought into the department for fingerprints, blood, other bodily fluids, serial restoration, or any evidence that might be located on the items. As a detective, investigate crimes in an attempt to locate suspects, witnesses, or the truth. While working on the Drug Task Force, test all drugs brought into the department. And while on the Utah attorneys generals office internet crimes against children task force; investigate any crime involving children on the internet. 8. Skills required Good knowledge of computers, good interview skills, organizational, determination and hard work. 9. Name of person interviewed James May 10. Date of Interview December 9-10, 2013 11. Phone number of interviewee (435)882-8900

Detective/Forensic Investigator

12. Interviewee professional, not personal, biography Detective James May started his career April of 1993. Law enforcement has always been a desire of his ever since he was a child. While Detective May was attending the Police Academy he worked in the grocery business. He began in the Sandy Police Department as a peace officer and an on call crime scene Technician. From there he then joined the West Valley Police department as a forensic investigator until November of 2006. Detective May then joined the Tooele city police department as a detective forensic investigator, a SWAT officer, and an ICAC investigator. Detective May was hired on with Tooele city because of his forensic knowledge. Which there were no Forensic Investigators in Tooele County at the time. Tooele County used his assistance while he was still working in the Salt Lake valley. He started working with Tooele county in November of 2005 and currently is still employed with them. Tooele County has shown their much appreciation for the hard work detective May has provided for them. They presented him with officer of the year award in December of 2010, also the Tooele city police presented him with the officer of the year award in December of 2009 and the Chiefs award in December 2012. Having over two thousand hours of formal training in his field of work, Detective May knows his job well. He loves what he does and enjoys teaching others about what he does. May has taught in several states on a variety of topics. He is currently teaching for the Utah Police Academy and the Salt Lake Community College Academy. Many organizations such as the International Association for identification (both parent body and Utah Division), Utah forensic Divers Association, and the Utah Gang Investigator Association have requested him to speak.

Detective/Forensic Investigator

One of detective Mays biggest accomplishment is co-authoring a book on sudden unexplained Infant Death Investigations. He was contacted by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to assist them in putting together a program for improves the way infant deaths were being handled and investigated. For several years he flew back and forth to Atlanta working on the program, helping to write the book, and teaching the program to people all across the United States. The resources created are found on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions websites, for everyone to view and learn from. Detective May is obviously very involved in his career and has received many publications and recognitions. In March of 2013, he was awarded officer of the year of the state of Utah. 13. Additional information obtained and/or details of experience While Detective May has had many interesting experiences throughout his career over the past twenty years, there is one in particular that stands out in his mind. He located and collected fingerprints off of three freezers that were full of over six hundred pounds of marijuana and $860,000 dollars in cash. He was then able to able to locate the suspects. This experience is what really sparked his interest in forensics. 14. Your comments and/or opinions of the career and/or your experience It was really interesting to hear about Detective Mays career as a detective and forensic Investigator. This particular area in the criminal justice field has been of great interest to me. I believe in the idea that things happen for a reason. I contacted the Salt Lake City police department and submitted a form to go on a ride along with an officer. They werent able to get back with me and schedule me in for a ride along in time for my paper. Going to the next option, I remembered that my brother had a friend that was in the police field and through him was able

Detective/Forensic Investigator

to get in contact with Detective May. It brought great surprise to me how many hours of training courses he has attended, over 2,000 hours. Also all of the organizations and associations he is and has been involved with. That is one of the desirable benefits of this type of career is that you have opportunities to learn and experience many types of job situations. Of course it takes time and work to get to where detective May is. But the road although it may be long, seems to have interesting aspects and experiences. The thrill also of knowing that you will be able to help citizens, by helping put criminals behind bars, and putting the wonder to rest as to what happened to their loved ones. Especially when it is a very complex situation, similar to detective Mays experience with collecting the finger prints on the refrigerator that contained such a large amount of marijuana and a large amount of cash. Obviously there was a big time drug dealer or dealers out there that had been dealing drugs for a long time and would most likely be very dangerous. This was a huge find for him and a big key piece of evidence to put the dealers behind bars to prevent further criminal activity. It is expected that this career also cannot be for someone with a weak stomach or a weak heart. For there is a lot to see and experience especially involving little children at times. Detective May has obviously had to go through these types of experiences. Especially since he was assisting in sudden unexpected infant death syndrome cases. This would be one of the hardest parts of a job is to see little children pass on so soon. Also, for the fact that it is not always an accident that they have to investigate and question the parents or adults who were around. Knowing that you are the little childs only voice of hope to get the facts out about what happened to them and put someone behind bars if they are responsible. The part of a forensic investigator career that is intimidating is the fact that a mistake made with evidence could drastically affect someones life. In the criminal justice field it is very

Detective/Forensic Investigator

important to be on point and make little or no errors. Viewing all the many hours of formal training and the many types offered, does shed light that you are well prepared and educated before going out and taking on responsibilities on your own. Collecting the right and most important evidence to organize your investigation is a big factor in how successful your case turns out. Recording information accurately and in a legible organized way is also key. Not only does the evidence provided and how well its organized effect the outcome of a case, it is also important when used in court for evidence presented to a jury. When evidence is presented in a well-organized manner to a jury, it makes it more credible. In the forensic field there is a lot of involvement with chemistry and science. Some of the formal trainings that detective May took had to do with blood pattern analysis, footwear impression evidence, crime scene photography, palm print symposium, digital imaging, intermediate dye staining, DNA evidence investigation, and reflective ultra violet imaging system technology. Even though there is much to learn and absorb, many hours of training, long hours, and patients required especially with detail, the field of being a detective/ forensic investigator is very intriguing. I plan on research more in depth and the career steps it would take for myself to get there. The many types of experience and learning so many types and tools of investigating, is very exciting. Putting the pieces together, the fingerprints, the footsteps, the palm prints, and the blood stains to make a picture that will show who, what, where, and why a crime has occurred. To help put those criminals behind bars that take innocent lives and try to destroy a peaceful society. Then when you have had many years of experience like detective May has, to be able to turn around and teach and share that with others would be so rewarding. This career paper has really assisted me in where I want to go with my career path, and has shed some light on my future.