In my years in traditional law enforcement and campus public safety, I have had the privilege of working with many great investigators. What separates the outstanding ones from all others is clearly the mindset. Great investigators think differently from the others.
The most fascinating aspect of investigating murders is that you can never tell how long it will take to clear a case based on the initial response. I have seen cases that seemed impossible to clear with little to no clues or evidence that were closed within a couple of hours. I have also seen cases that, upon initial response, seemed simple, maybe easy to clear, but stayed open for years.
Whether the incident being investigated is simple or complex, here are some of the traits and characteristics great investigators possess. They are used for quick closures of major cases, as well as cases that turn into major investigations or end up as cold cases.
1. Don’t be a know-it-all
Don’t assume you know everything that needs to be done based on your past experience. Always be open to listening and learning.
I remember hearing whispers that I was being transferred to the homicide unit as a newly promoted lieutenant. I had avoided going to homicide my entire career because I didn’t like the vibe I got from the detectives. It always seemed like they thought they were better than the rest of us. Maybe that’s unfair, but as always, I’m entitled to my perception, and that’s how it felt.
I was a drug guy; my job was to hammer drug traffickers with federal prison time and get them to flip on shootings and murders. That’s as close as I ever wanted to get to the homicide division.
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Turns out a beloved friend of mine, Peggy Horn, was now overseeing Violent Crimes; she was pulling the strings to drag me into the homicide unit with her. I have to tell you, I did not have many close friends in that municipal department. I found there were only a few people I could actually work with and still maintain a friendship. It’s a special relationship because it gets complicated, especially if you are trying to do your job to the best of your ability. I never wanted anyone looking out for me, I wanted to be respected for my grind and the things that I accomplished.
Peggy Horn was a friend. Rest in peace. When I went to homicide, like I expected, the whisper was, well, he has never worked a murder. Exactly right. As a new lieutenant, I began to look, listen, and learn. Often, people make the mistake of thinking existing experience directly transfers to a new assignment or role. Often it’s a mistake.
I took the very same approach when I became a SWAT team member. I literally did not say a word for over a year during training. I grinded hard, looked, listened, and learned. Many probably did not expect that. In both situations, I grew, developed, and flourished.
2. Know how to talk to people
The ability to communicate with people turns out to be foundational in all aspects of policing, business, as well as life. You have to be able to connect, relate, develop trust, and communicate with anyone. Regardless of their background, educational level, or socioeconomic status.
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As an investigator, you need information. Evidence that corroborates what people say is ideal, but often, all you have is statements from people. You have to develop and master the ability to talk to people and get the information you need to advance your agenda.
Know how to interview: always be the smartest person in the room. This has nothing to do with intelligence or IQ; it’s about working hard, having all the facts, and being willing to put in the work. Do your homework, no shortcuts. Ever.
When someone is accused of a serious crime, they are almost always willing to confess to smaller serious crimes. Exploit this. Charged with murder, they may not be willing to confess to murder, but they will talk about drug dealing all day long.
3. Don’t make assumptions
Great investigators never make assumptions. Generally, if you make an assumption, it’s going to be inaccurate. Assumptions are often based on past experiences and situations. Every case is nuanced and different.
In my experience being called out hundreds of times for serious cases and often receiving very limited information, the majority of the time, upon arrival, the facts and circumstances were different from what I had heard earlier.
People make assumptions to fill in the voids of information. Don’t. I often tell staff, “If you are unsure of what you are telling me, don’t tell me.” I would rather have no information than tainted or inaccurate information inspired by conjecture and assumptions. If you are certain they were shot, say it; if you are not certain they were shot, just tell me they are dead and you’re not sure what happened.
Never, ever make assumptions. Only focus on facts. When I deal with people who make assumptions and then need to correct them, they lose credibility and, most importantly, my trust and confidence in them.
4. Don’t Judge
Often, we walk into worlds that are unfamiliar to us. I have never been homeless; I have never been the son of a drug-addicted mother. I don’t know what any of this feels like.
It’s easy to judge others, it’s much harder to try to understand that different perspective. As soon as you begin judging, you are making yourself better than those whom you are judging. This also impacts the relationship and can change the dynamics of how information is extracted from that subject.
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Great investigators don’t do this, and neither do good people.
5. Be Very Strategic
A great investigator is extremely strategic. Working a case is like playing a game of chess; everything you do, every move you make, should be thought out. Always have a plan. It does not even have to be a good plan. You can always make a plan better, but having no plan is like wandering around lost in the woods.
Great investigators are strategic, deliberate, and intentional, just like a counter-sniper. Nothing happens by accident; lots of patience and self-control.
6. Never blindly bluff
I think this one is really important. It’s like playing cards… if you are going all in, you better have the cards in your hand to back it up. I have seen detectives take fake fat folders into the interview room and put them down on the table. The first logical question from anyone would be to back up what you are saying by showing me something. If your game is 100% bluff, I guarantee you will never walk away with a solid confession.
I remember a great detective, David Burt, having a rock-solid case on a suspect. He went into the interview room with three yellow sticky notes. One said the death penalty, one said life in prison, and the third said 30 years in prison. He told the suspect to pick one. There was nothing on the table that Burt could not back up; the suspect also knew it, 30 years was the pick chosen, along with a confession.
I remember another case with a shooting suspect. We literally had no evidence to obtain a warrant. As the cameras were rolling in the interview room, I walked in and told the guy I was going to test his hands for gunshot residue GSR but I did not have a kit and would have one here in about 10 minutes.
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Over the next ten minutes, he licked his hands repeatedly and wiped his hands on his pants. All of this was caught on video. After ten minutes, I went back in and told him that I could not find a GSR kit. But… you guessed it: we were able to get a conviction.
Another case handled by Detective Conrad Simms where the suspected killer finally put himself in the vicinity of the killing. As we danced with him, we got to a place where maybe he could identify the suspect if he saw a picture. The team put together a photo array of six people who were all locked up in jail when the killing took place. He identified the killer 100%, no question, no doubt.
There was no way the guy he identified could have been the killer, so he was locked up in jail. Our suspect was ultimately convicted of that murder. This is like having 25 cents left in your bank on a two-dollar minimum bet slot machine in Vegas. You’re done.
7. Leave no stone unturned
Running down each and every bit of information is another important piece. This should make perfect sense to anyone. Would you rather find something out while you are working the case, or find it out when the defense attorney is conducting direct examination on a person you should have interviewed but chose not to?
Often, by closing the loop in these situations, you can lock people into a version of a story that will not allow them to come back later and say something different. Interview anyone you possibly can who may have information.
I have seen the surprised look in court when something comes out of left field from a defense witness. The best defense is a strategic offense.
In one case, a neighbor of the suspect was an old lady who was not involved in any part of the assault. Early on in the case, I interviewed her because she was a neighbor and I locked her in. This destroyed her alibi testimony for the defendant.
8. Relentlessly follow up
If there is one thing for the majority of my career that I have always focused on, it would be relentless follow-up. When trying to solve a violent crime or trying to take down a drug offender while they are holding drugs, you have to be on top of your game when it comes to follow up and follow through. This shows that you are in the game, not just watching or waiting for something to happen.
Relentless follow-up accomplishes a couple of things: it ensures that you are aggressively working your case and looking at all the angles. It also establishes trust and confidence on behalf of victims and families because it displays your attention to duty and your ambition. The most flattering compliment an investigator can get is that they are relentless. It’s self-explanatory.
Regardless of how strong your case is, continue to work it until there are no questions left unanswered. Some learn this lesson the hard way- in court. Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an ending, just like a book. Court is just like watching a show on TV. Everything has to make sense; if it does not, reasonable doubt is created, and your case may be in jeopardy.
Great investigators stitch it all together. You have to know the case like the back of your hand. Never stop until you have all of the pieces and all of the answers to the questions that may be asked.
9. Always over-prepare
No one will ever criticize you for over-preparing. Great investigators will also involve others and collaborate. Collaboration is always beneficial. What am I missing? What else can be done, or what else needs to be done?
I wish I had a word for that feeling when you are sitting in the witness stand in court, everything is going great and you get sucker punched by the defense attorney with a question you should have an answer to but don’t.
10. Build up others
Have fun, build someone else up, and take them on your journey. Always remember there is a very fine line between confidence and arrogance. I promise those you help and build up will never forget the effort you invested in them. Influencing and inspiring others to think differently is the greatest quality of a leader. It is also a gift.
John Venuti is Associate Vice President of Public Safety VCU and VCU Health System Chief of Police at VCU Police Department.
NOTE: The views expressed by guest bloggers and contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Campus Safety.
