In 2012 the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office responded to 289 violent crimes. The sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is an important part of this law enforcement agency, called upon to investigate the county’s most serious violent and organized crimes. This has recently included cases of murder, child sex abuse, and burglaries.
Sponsored School(s)
To become a detective with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, candidates will need to qualify according to the minimum employment standards.
Standards for Employment as a Detective with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office
There are four basic requirements all candidates must meet to become a detective (under the official title of DASO Investigator) with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- New Mexico Law Enforcement Certification
- Driver’s license
- Three years of experience as a certified law enforcement officer
- Two of these years must be with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office
Candidates interested in detective jobs with the CID are expected to be able to demonstrate knowledge of:
- Laws, procedures, and methods of criminal investigation
- Principles of law enforcement
- Effective communication, listening, interrogation, and interview techniques
- Criminal investigation report writing
While an associate’s or bachelor’s degree is not an explicit requirement, having a college education can fulfill several required traits, boost the strength of an initial application, and open up further career prospects in the future. Pertinent areas of study include:
- Law
- Criminal Justice
- Law Enforcement
- Forensic Science
- Police Science
Detective Training in Dona Ana County
Candidates who have met detective requirements and have been accepted for promotion will have already been working with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office for at least two years. This means they will already have completed the basic training academy and become certified law enforcement officers under the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Training and Recruiting Division.
Detectives with the CID will receive additional training in areas in which they do not already have extensive experience. This criminal investigator training will be specific to a detective’s area of specialization, which includes the following units within the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office CID:
- Crimes against persons
- Animal cruelty crimes
- Crimes against children
- Gang-related crimes
- Property crimes
- Financial crimes
- Death investigations
- Domestic violence
Working with the Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division
Working in theDona Ana County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division can be both challenging and rewarding. Detectives recently made headlines in several high profile cases:
- CID detectives were recently vindicated when two men they had investigated on child sex abuse charges were convicted. The men were found guilty of several heinous acts and will likely be sentenced to anywhere from several decades to life in prison.
- CID investigators recently obtained a warrant for a man wanted for committing a stabbing murder in Anthony. After taking witness statements the investigators were able to piece together crime scene evidence and obtain the warrant.
- Sheriff investigators recently concluded a month-long investigation with the arrest of a mother and her two adult sons on charges relating to a string of house burglaries in the Dona Ana County and East Mesa areas.