What Skills Can a Would-Be Detective Learn from Line of Duty
Here at The Detective Society, we’re very proud of the tens of thousands of detectives that solve our cases. But even the best detective can learn new skills, so I’m going to examine my favourite police show – the always super realistic (ahem) BBC series Line of Duty – to see what skills we can learn from the gang at AC-12.
Examine the Evidence Carefully
If AC-12 are going to interview a suspect then you know they are going to have a folder filled with evidence to back them up. Our detectives are no different – we provide you with all the evidence, but you need to go through it carefully: checking the details in the documents, examining suspects’ personal effects and trawling websites associated with the case.
Think Laterally
Ted Hastings didn’t float up the Lagan in a bubble, and neither did you. Just like Kate and Steve, you’re going to need to piece together bits of evidence in order to work out what is going on – maybe you need to use a suspect’s phone records to work out which burner phones they were in contact with, or break into their online banking to piece together their movements.
Things Can Change Quickly So Be Prepared
As Steve Arnott well knows, one moment you can be going for a lovely drive in a van, the next you can be pinned down by gunfire – so you always need to be prepared for the next twist or turn. When it comes to solving one of our cases, give yourself space so you can lay all the evidence out in front of you and make sure you have a phone to hand in case you need to text or email some suspects.
Follow the Letter of the Law
As Ted Hastings says everything has to be done by the book, otherwise you might find yourself looking like a bent copper (although this is some advice that Ted needs to tell himself). We advise our detectives to make sure they follow the instructions they are given, otherwise who knows what they’ll get themselves caught up in.
Don’t Trust Anyone
If we’ve learnt one thing from Line of Duty, it’s that you can never tell who is a bent copper – every officer might have links to organised crime, so you can’t trust any of them. When it comes to investigating those people involved with cases, detectives should always be aware that someone might be lying.
I think these are the main things budding detectives can learn from Line of Duty, but if you think there are other things that I’ve missed be sure to let us know on social media and if you now feel ready to take on a case of your own then be sure to check out our store.
-Tristan
