Police Identification and Records Officers
Collect evidence at crime scene, classify and identify fingerprints, and photograph evidence for use in criminal and civil cases.
From people doing the work
It's a careful job, often under pressure, where every detail matters. You're the eyes and ears at a crime scene, making sure nothing is missed. The satisfaction comes from knowing your work directly contributes to justice.
Drawn from International Association for Identification, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Magazine
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from International Association for Identification, American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Forensic Magazine
A day in the life of Police Identification and Records Officers
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 80% Team / 20% Solo
- Client facing
- Sometimes
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Frequent
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- High
Police Identification and Records Officers salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $57,050
- Entry-level
- $40,000
- Senior
- $86,000
- Growth by 2033
- -2.2%
- Demand
- Declining
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- 115%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as Police Identification and Records Officers
Hard skills
- Law and Government
- Complex Problem Solving
- Operating system software
Soft skills
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Active Listening
Technical complexity: Low
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) (Software): To store, search, and retrieve fingerprint images and demographic data for criminal identification.
- Forensic photography equipment (Hardware): To document crime scenes and evidence with high-resolution images.
- Crime scene kits (Hardware): To collect, preserve, and transport various types of evidence from crime scenes.
Commonly used
- Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) (Software): To manage samples, experiments, results, and data in forensic laboratories.
- Evidence tracking software (Software): To maintain a chain of custody for all collected evidence.
Specialist tools
- Digital imaging software (Software): To process and enhance photographic evidence for analysis and presentation.
- Crime scene sketching tools (Hardware): To create accurate diagrams of crime scenes for documentation and reconstruction.
How to become Police Identification and Records Officers
- Minimum education
- High School Diploma
- Licensing
- Yes
- Years to mid-career
- 5-8
- Years to senior
- 15-20
- Career switching
- Hard
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Police Officer: Police officers often transition to identification roles after gaining experience in law enforcement.
- Evidence Technician: Individuals working as evidence technicians may advance to more specialized identification roles.
- Forensic Science Technician: Forensic science technicians with a focus on evidence collection can move into police identification.
Where you can go from here
- Forensic Scientist: Police identification officers can advance to forensic scientist roles with further education and specialization.
- Crime Scene Analyst: With additional training, identification officers can become crime scene analysts, focusing on reconstruction and interpretation.
- Latent Print Examiner: Specialization in fingerprint analysis can lead to a role as a latent print examiner.
Typical progression
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
- Police Identification and Records Officers
- Intelligence Analysts
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
- or Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Police Identification and Records Officers job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Low-Moderate
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Declining
Job satisfaction as Police Identification and Records Officers
- Overall satisfaction
- 6.8/10
- Meaning
- 8/10
- Work-life balance
- 5/10
- Prestige
- 7/10
- Social perception
- High
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- International Association for Identification (IAI): A professional organization dedicated to the advancement of forensic identification disciplines.
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS): A multidisciplinary professional organization that provides leadership to advance science and its application to the legal system.
Podcasts and media
- Forensic Magazine: A publication covering news, articles, and product information for forensic professionals.
Reddit communities
- r/forensics: An online community for discussions related to forensic science and investigations.
Online communities
- Crime Scene Investigator Network: A comprehensive resource for crime scene investigation, including forums, articles, and training information.