The ranks of officers at the New Haven Police Department serve and protect those in need with a strong commitment and sense of justice. Particularly important within the New Haven Police Department is the Investigative Services Bureau, which is divided into three main parts:
Sponsored School(s)
- Identification Division
- Major Crimes Division
- Vice, Narcotics and Intelligence Division
Steps to Becoming a Detective with the New Haven Police Department
The Investigations Services Bureau is comprised of plainclothes detectives who work on specific cases that require added expertise and attention. The patrol officers assigned to the Bureau, in turn, support these criminal investigators. Candidates who want to become a criminal investigator with the New Haven Police Department will need to start as patrol officers and work their way up the ranks.
Joining the New Haven PD – Meeting the initial requirements to join the New Haven Police Department as a patrol officer include:
- Being at least 21 years old with a high school diploma or GED
- Being a US citizen
- Having no felony convictions
- Having the ability to obtain a Connecticut driver’s license upon hire
The New Haven Police Department states a preference for applicants who have studied at a university, technical school, or community college. As a demonstration of the importance with which the department regards education, it offers the following education incentives which are paid to its employees once each year:
- $200 for an Associate’s Degree in Police Science or Administration
- $350 for a Bachelor’s Degree
- $450 for a Master’s Degree
Degree programs that are particularly relevant to a prospective detective’s long-term career include:
- Law Enforcement
- Criminal Justice
- Forensic Science
- Law
Career Advancement – To become a detective with the New Haven Police Department’s Investigative Services Bureau candidates will need to first serve four years as a patrol officer. After four years officers will be eligible to take a detective civil service exam when it is offered. During a patrol officer’s first four years of service, he or she may also be assigned to the Investigative Services Bureau to work with detectives as a patrol officer, and there are also opportunities to work temporarily as a detective for up to 180 days on special assignments.
The ranks and their associated annual salaries within the New Haven Police Department are:
- Police Officer 1st Year – $41,855
- Police Officer 2nd Year – $41,855
- Police Officer 3rd Year – $49,702
- Police Officer – $64,377
- Detective – $68,602
- Sergeant – $72,429
- Lieutenant – $80,727
- Superintendent – $81,909
- Chief Investigator – $84,172
- Captain – $88,620
- Commander – $91,765
Training Requirements – Detective training starts the moment candidates are hired as police officers and begin their academy training. Every year officers must additionally obtain in-service training that can also be geared towards the investigative field. More advanced detective training for criminal investigator jobs in the Investigative Services Bureau are tailored to an investigator’s particular area of focus.
Specialized Units that Comprise the New Haven Investigative Services Bureau
There are many specialized units in the three division of the Investigative Services Bureau:
- Identification Division
- Firearms Analysis Unit
- Crime Lab Unit
- Photography and Identification Unit
- Latent Print Unit
- Major Crimes Division
- General Investigations Unit
- Robbery and Burglary Unit
- Major Crimes Unit
- Sex Offender Registry Unit
- Firearms Unit
- Asset Forfeiture Unit
- Financial Crimes Unit
- Arson Unit
- Missing Persons Unit
- Criminal Intelligence and Narcotics Division
- Narcotics Unit
- Criminal Intelligence Unit
- Specialized Task Forces:
- Joint Terrorism Task Force
- Shooting Task Force
- FBI Safe Streets Task Force
- DEA Task Force
- US Marshals Task Force
- Statewide Task Force
- ATF Urban Task Force