Private Detectives and Investigators
Gather, analyze, compile, and report information regarding individuals or organizations to clients, or detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment.
- Tasks
- 14 tasks10 core, 4 supplemental
- Family
- Protective ServiceOne of its 28 occupations
- Code
- 33-9021.00SOC 2018: 33-9021
What the work is made of
10 core tasks and 4 supplemental, each quoted as published, with the survey it came from.
Core: central to the jobSupplemental: done by some, not all
- Task 1. Write reports or case summaries to document investigations.Core taskTask 13095Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 2. Conduct private investigations on a paid basis.Core taskTask 13099Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 3. Search computer databases, credit reports, public records, tax or legal filings, or other resources to locate persons or to compile information for investigations.Core taskTask 13096Rated by 89 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 4. Conduct personal background investigations, such as pre-employment checks, to obtain information about an individual's character, financial status, or personal history.Core taskTask 20758Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 5. Expose fraudulent insurance claims or stolen funds.Core taskTask 13106Rated by 88 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 6. Obtain and analyze information on suspects, crimes, or disturbances to solve cases, to identify criminal activity, or to gather information for court cases.Core taskTask 13097Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 7. Testify at hearings or court trials to present evidence.Core taskTask 13100Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 8. Question persons to obtain evidence for cases of divorce, child custody, or missing persons or information about individuals' character or financial status.Core taskTask 13101Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 9. Observe and document activities of individuals to detect unlawful acts or to obtain evidence for cases, using binoculars and still or video cameras.Core taskTask 13102Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 10. Confer with establishment officials, security departments, police, or postal officials to identify problems, provide information, or receive instructions.Core taskTask 13107Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 11. Investigate companies' financial standings, or locate funds stolen by embezzlers, using accounting skills.Supplemental taskTask 13105Rated by 89 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 12. Perform undercover operations, such as evaluating the performance or honesty of employees by posing as customers or employees.Supplemental taskTask 13104Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 13. Alert appropriate personnel to suspects' locations.Supplemental taskTask 13103Rated by 89 people who do the job, July 2015
- Task 14. Count cash and review transactions, sales checks, or register tapes to verify amounts or to identify shortages.Supplemental taskTask 13109Rated by 90 people who do the job, July 2015
Where this comes from
Quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor, and credited. Nothing on this page is written by us.
How we copy and credit sources- Published byO*NET 29.0, U.S. Department of LaborEmployment and Training Administration
- ClassificationStandard Occupational Classification 2018, 33-9021
- LicenseCC BY 4.0Free to copy and reuse, with credit
- Changed by usNothing.
More in Protective Service
27 other occupations in this family, each with its own page.
- Animal Control Workers15 tasks
- Bailiffs15 tasks
- Correctional Officers and Jailers27 tasks
- Crossing Guards and Flaggers12 tasks
- Customs and Border Protection Officers11 tasks
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators30 tasks
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators30 tasks
- Firefighters30 tasks
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers23 tasks
- First-Line Supervisors of Firefighting and Prevention Workers30 tasks
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives20 tasks
- First-Line Supervisors of Protective Service Workers, All OtherNo tasks listed
- First-Line Supervisors of Security Workers21 tasks
- Fish and Game Wardens24 tasks
- Forest Fire Inspectors and Prevention Specialists16 tasks
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators8 tasks
- Intelligence Analysts21 tasks
- Lifeguards, Ski Patrol, and Other Recreational Protective Service Workers15 tasks
- Parking Enforcement Workers22 tasks
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers30 tasks
- Police Identification and Records Officers15 tasks
- Protective Service Workers, All OtherNo tasks listed
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists21 tasks
- School Bus Monitors18 tasks
- Security Guards14 tasks
- Transit and Railroad Police12 tasks
- Transportation Security Screeners26 tasks
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