police detective
Badge-carrying case solver
A police detective is a law enforcement officer who investigates crimes rather than patrolling streets or responding to calls.
Detectives gather evidence, interview witnesses, and work to solve cases—often specializing in areas like homicide, robbery, or fraud.
In fiction and reality, the role carries connotations of deductive reasoning and persistence: The police detective spent months building the case.
Hints toward answers
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- deductionConclusion from premises
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
- caseworkDirect work with clients
surveillance · stakeout · tail · shadowing · observation · analysis · forensics · fingerprints
Seize by law
- Miranda rightsSuspect's custodial advisement
- warrantFormal authorization document
- bookingAdvance arrangement secured
- lineupOrdered list of participants
interrogation room · polygraph · confession · sworn statement · cross-examination · prosecution · defense · testimony
Causing another's death
- murderDeliberate unlawful killing
- theftUnlawful taking of property
- robberyTheft through intimidation
- arsonCriminal deliberate burning
fraud · assault · kidnapping · burglary · manslaughter · embezzlement · smuggling · trafficking
Worn symbol of membership
- shieldHandheld defensive armor
- precinctAdministrative jurisdiction zone
- squadSmall working group
- partnerOne who shares activity
lieutenant · sergeant · captain · chief · homicide division · vice · narcotics · special unit
Tough, cynical fiction style
- gumshoeInformal term for detective
- femme fataleTreacherous enchantress
- trenchcoatBelted, knee-length raincoat
- fedoraSoft creased felt hat
whiskey · smoky · shadows · alley · neon · cynicism · corruption · underworld
clues
Hints toward answers
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- deductionConclusion from premises
- inferenceConclusion reached through reasoning
casework · surveillance · stakeout · tail · shadowing · observation · analysis · forensics · fingerprints · DNA
arrest
Seize by law
- Miranda rightsSuspect's custodial advisement
- warrantFormal authorization document
- bookingAdvance arrangement secured
lineup · interrogation room · polygraph · confession · sworn statement · cross-examination · prosecution · defense · testimony · evidence locker
homicide
Causing another's death
arson · fraud · assault · kidnapping · burglary · manslaughter · embezzlement · smuggling · trafficking · forgery
badge
Worn symbol of membership
partner · lieutenant · sergeant · captain · chief · homicide division · vice · narcotics · special unit · plainclothes
hardboiled
Tough, cynical fiction style
- gumshoeInformal term for detective
- femme fataleTreacherous enchantress
- trenchcoatBelted, knee-length raincoat
fedora · whiskey · smoky · shadows · alley · neon · cynicism · corruption · underworld · pulp
- crime fictionmurder mystery, whodunit, crime novel, mystery novels, crime stories
- mysteryclue, suspect, clues, sleuth, whodunit
- Detectivessleuth, investigator, private eye, gumshoe, PI
- investigatorsinvestigator, inspector, sleuth, gumshoe, private eye
- interrogatorsinterrogator, questioner, cross-examiner, inquisitor, debriefer
police detectivepatrol officer
Uniformed law enforcer
beat cop · traffic cop · desk sergeant · meter maid · SWAT officer
police detectivecriminal
Person who breaks laws
suspect · perpetrator · fugitive · offender · crime boss
police detectiveconspirator
One planning in secret
accessory after the fact · obstruction of justice · perjurer
police, policy, detective, detection, detected, policing, detector, policed, policewoman