14 Pros and Cons of Being a Homicide Detective

Homicide detectives have responsibilities that require them to have extensive knowledge and expertise in various areas.

They are educated, trained specialists who work hard to investigate and solve homicides.

Although there are several pros to choosing a homicide detective career, there are also several cons that are associated with being a homicide detective.

Learning these pros and cons can be important for people who are considering this career or who are looking to advance their careers.

Some people may wonder if this is the right career for them.

Knowing what is expected of them and considering the pros and cons can help people make an informed decision about the ideal choice for them.

Pros of Being a Homicide Detective

Homicide detectives have a critical role in solving murders and getting justice for the families of homicide victims.

The pros of this career can lead officers and detectives from other areas to become homicide detectives.

1. Being Part of an Important Team

Homicide detectives work as part of an important team that investigates and works to solve homicides.

Although they take turns serving as the lead on individual cases, they are still team members who help each other and support each other in this career.

The teamwork skills that homicide investigators have can go a long way in various aspects of their careers.

One homicide detective may interview a witness while another detective interviews another person at the same time.

They can take phone calls from people when the lead is not available.

Some homicide detectives may be able to get information from a witness that another detective was unable to get at first.

This teamwork can potentially help the detectives solve cases.

2. Value of the Work

The work of homicide detectives has extensive value when someone commits a murder or multiple unlawful deaths.

Working closely with forensic scientists, medical examiners, and other professionals, they can use their specialized skills to resolve homicide cases that may have gone unsolved or taken longer to resolve if not for the value of the work performed by homicide detectives.

Solving homicide cases helps to bring closure to family members and other loved ones.

3. Helping to Reduce Crime

Solving homicide cases helps to reduce crime.

The 2023 FBI Crime in the Nation Statistics report showed that there was an 11.6 percent decrease in the number of murders and non-negligent manslaughter cases compared to the previous year.

Although there may be several reasons that the homicide rate decreases, some sources tout the fact that solving crimes promotes justice and helps to decrease the crime rate.

Homicide detectives who solve cases get criminals off the streets so that they cannot commit more homicides or other crimes.

4. Ongoing Training

Homicide detectives do not get hired and then thrown into their jobs with just the training that they already have when they join a homicide department.

They receive ongoing training in many areas, which may include updated training in interviewing suspects and witnesses, training in new technology, and processing crime scenes.

The additional training that homicide detectives receive may depend on the needs of their department or unit.

5. The Value of Patience

Some people may hesitate about becoming a homicide detective because of things that they see in some movies or on television.

They may think that homicide detectives must rush and solve murders right away for fear of losing their jobs.

Many veteran homicide detectives indicate that there is a need for patience.

They view it as a key quality when trying to resolve homicide cases.

All the evidence is probably not going to jump out at them when they first arrive at a homicide scene.

Demonstrating patience when conducting interviews or interrogations helps the detective to put the facts together.

Waiting patiently for tips from witnesses or the public and waiting for results from the office of the medical examiner, forensic analysis, or other information helps homicide detectives to put together a solid case.

6. Job Outlook

The job outlook for homicide detectives has been good for several years.

The field is expected to continue experiencing positive job growth for several years.

Sources do not separate the types of detectives when considering job growth.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a four percent average job growth for detectives through 2033.

The projections indicate that there will be an estimated 63,000 openings for detectives and police officers each year.

7. Starting Salary

Homicide detectives do not have to work for years before they earn a good salary.

Some sources vary when indicating the average salary for homicide detectives, so anyone who wants to work as a homicide detective should check the salary for their area.

Salary.com indicates that the average salary for homicide detectives in the U.S., as of May 1, 2025, ranges between $60,342 and $80,161.

PayScale indicates that the average base salary for homicide detectives in 2025 is $80,261, with base salaries being as high as $123,000.

Cons of Being a Homicide Detective

The downsides or cons of being a homicide detective may keep some people from pursuing this career.

Knowing the cons can help people decide if this is the right career for them.

1. Violent Crime Scenes

Homicide scenes can indicate that victims experienced extreme violence before their deaths.

Looking at what may sometimes be gruesome crime scenes may not be the ideal job for some people.

Cases sometimes involve multiple victims, which can be even more upsetting or difficult for some people.

2. Danger to Homicide Detectives

People who commit homicides are not likely to stay at the scene and wait for homicide detectives and the coroner to show up.

The very nature of the work can be dangerous for detectives when they investigate a homicide.

One veteran homicide detective indicates that they are aware of various dangers because of being around murder scenes every day.

He says that being safe is always at the top of the mind among homicide detectives.

There may be risks from suspects who have not been apprehended, from family members of arrested suspects, or from anyone who wants to endanger the safety or lives of detectives.

3. Lack of Cooperation

Homicide detectives often experience a lack of cooperation from suspects, witnesses, or even from the family and friends of the murdered victim.

They must sort out the truth from the many lies that they may be told when interviewing witnesses, interrogating suspects, or talking to other people.

Investigating homicides sometimes takes the detectives into neighborhoods where they may reach out to neighbors.

The stonewalling from fear or for other reasons is another frustrating lack of cooperation experience.

4. Education Requirements

Many jurisdictions have educational requirements for homicide detectives.

They cannot just be a current police officer who wants to be a homicide detective.

New York requires detectives to have a minimum of 60 college credits.

Ohio requires homicide detectives to have a minimum of an associate’s degree in addition to completing the police academy.

Homicide detectives work their way up to the position, so they are already required to have completed a police academy program.

Some schools, including Tarrant Community College, offer Basic Peace Officer Training and several certificate and degree programs for officers who want to work their way up to being homicide detectives.

5. Extensive Training

Law enforcement officers must undergo extensive training before they can become homicide detectives.

Completing police academy training to join a police department and completing ongoing training programs throughout their careers may deter some people from wanting to become homicide detectives.

6. Required Experience

Anyone who wants to be a homicide detective cannot start their career as a homicide detective.

Law enforcement officers often work in various positions before they work their way up to the homicide department.

They may start as a patrol officer, then work their way up to a detective in another department.

They may work in drug enforcement, in a gang unit, or in another department before they can apply to be a homicide detective.

7. The One That Got Away

People who thrive on complete success in everything that they do may not be satisfied with being a homicide detective.

Veteran homicide detectives may not be able to solve every case.

Detectives who work in homicide units often have stories about the one case that they could never solve, even though they put a lot of time and effort into trying to solve it.

They may describe that case as one that haunts them years later.

Pros and Cons of Being a Homicide Detective – Summary Table

Should You Become a Homicide Detective?

Becoming a homicide detective requires expertise in several areas.

They must have excellent communication skills, attention to detail, organizational skills, observation skills, and interviewing skills.

Homicide detectives work all hours, not a 9-to-5 job.

They may encounter violent, gruesome deaths when called to a murder scene.

Many people become homicide detectives because they commit, they have the patience, the technical and interpersonal skills to have a long career in homicide.

Sources

https://www.fbi.gov/news/press-releases/fbi-releases-2023-crime-in-the-nation-statistics

https://www.aetv.com/shows/the-first-48/articles/what-does-it-take-to-be-a-good-homicide-detective