I understand why it might have started out this way when police forces were first becoming established, but why does it continue to be this way?
These seem like entirely different skill sets, and surely it’s easier to teach them basic police skills as part of their training rather than having them stay as beat cops for several years first.
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A beat cop is the first line of a police agency. They investigate and prosecute mainly misdemeanors and begin the process of investigation when a felony has occurred. The patrol officer will usually take the initial report and call a detective.
The detective is an experienced police officer who has been trained in criminal investigation and who takes over felony cases from patrol officers and continues the case until resolution.
In bigger cities, detective units are usually broken up into specialized units, such as vice, homicide, family crimes, and sex crimes.
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