Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Protective Service Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 33-3021.00
Conduct investigations related to suspected violations of federal, state, or local laws to prevent or solve crimes.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.037
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.23
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 14 hidden tasks30 rated tasks · 16 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (53.3%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants.O*NET Task ID 23024 | 1.0 |
Prepare reports that detail investigation findings.O*NET Task ID 23029 | 1.0 |
Notify, or request notification of, medical examiner or district attorney representative.O*NET Task ID 23044 | 1.0 |
Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device.O*NET Task ID 23022 | 0.5 |
Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures.O*NET Task ID 23025 | 0.5 |
Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed.O*NET Task ID 23026 | 0.5 |
Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene.O*NET Task ID 23028 | 0.5 |
Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects.O*NET Task ID 23030 | 0.5 |
Provide information to lab personnel concerning the source of an item of evidence and tests to be performed.O*NET Task ID 23032 | 0.5 |
Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed.O*NET Task ID 23033 | 0.5 |
Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records.O*NET Task ID 23034 | 0.5 |
Identify case issues and evidence needed, based on analysis of charges, complaints, or allegations of law violations.O*NET Task ID 23037 | 0.5 |
Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations.O*NET Task ID 23046 | 0.5 |
Maintain surveillance of establishments to obtain identifying information on suspects.O*NET Task ID 23047 | 0.5 |
Perform undercover assignments and maintain surveillance, including monitoring authorized wiretaps.O*NET Task ID 23049 | 0.5 |
Examine records to locate links in chains of evidence or information.O*NET Task ID 23050 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (30)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse. | Core |
| Obtain facts or statements from complainants, witnesses, and accused persons and record interviews, using recording device. | Core |
| Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival. | Core |
| Record progress of investigation, maintain informational files on suspects, and submit reports to commanding officer or magistrate to authorize warrants. | Core |
| Prepare charges or responses to charges, or information for court cases, according to formalized procedures. | Core |
| Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed. | Core |
| Obtain summary of incident from officer in charge at crime scene, taking care to avoid disturbing evidence. | Core |
| Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene. | Core |
| Prepare reports that detail investigation findings. | Core |
| Examine records and governmental agency files to find identifying data about suspects. | Core |
| Secure persons at scene, keeping witnesses from conversing or leaving the scene before investigators arrive. | Core |
| Provide information to lab personnel concerning the source of an item of evidence and tests to be performed. | Core |
| Analyze completed police reports to determine what additional information and investigative work is needed. | Core |
| Obtain and verify evidence by interviewing and observing suspects and witnesses or by analyzing records. | Core |
| Prepare and serve search and arrest warrants. | Core |
| Question individuals or observe persons and establishments to confirm information given to patrol officers. | Core |
| Identify case issues and evidence needed, based on analysis of charges, complaints, or allegations of law violations. | Core |
| Participate or assist in raids and arrests. | Core |
| Organize scene search, assigning specific tasks and areas of search to individual officers and obtaining adequate lighting as necessary. | Core |
| Summon medical help for injured individuals and alert medical personnel to take statements from them. | Core |
| Notify command of situation and request assistance. | Core |
| Testify before grand juries concerning criminal activity investigations. | Core |
| Block or rope off scene and check perimeter to ensure that entire scene is secured. | Core |
| Notify, or request notification of, medical examiner or district attorney representative. | Core |
| Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment. | Core |
| Determine scope, timing, and direction of investigations. | Core |
| Maintain surveillance of establishments to obtain identifying information on suspects. | Core |
| Collaborate with other offices and agencies to exchange information and coordinate activities. | Core |
| Perform undercover assignments and maintain surveillance, including monitoring authorized wiretaps. | Core |
| Examine records to locate links in chains of evidence or information. | Core |
0.14/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Check victims for signs of life, such as breathing and pulse. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Secure deceased body and obtain evidence from it, preventing bystanders from tampering with it prior to medical examiner's arrival. | E0 none |
| Preserve, process, and analyze items of evidence obtained from crime scenes and suspects, placing them in proper containers and destroying evidence no longer needed. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Note, mark, and photograph location of objects found, such as footprints, tire tracks, bullets and bloodstains, and take measurements of the scene. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Secure persons at scene, keeping witnesses from conversing or leaving the scene before investigators arrive. | E0 none |
| Prepare and serve search and arrest warrants. | E0 none |
| Participate or assist in raids and arrests. | E0 none |
| Block or rope off scene and check perimeter to ensure that entire scene is secured. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Search for and collect evidence, such as fingerprints, using investigative equipment. | E0 none |
| Maintain surveillance of establishments to obtain identifying information on suspects. | E2 structured facilities |
| Perform undercover assignments and maintain surveillance, including monitoring authorized wiretaps. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 33-3021 group (Detectives and criminal investigators), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 121K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 121K
- Change (2025–35)
- +0.2%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $93,790
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41112 | 일반 경찰관 및 수사관 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
| 41111 | 해양 경찰관 및 수사관 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3355Police Inspectors and Detectives
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Police inspectors and detectives investigate facts and circumstances relating to crimes committed in order to identify suspected offenders and obtain information not readily available or apparent concerning establishments or the circumstances and behaviour of persons, mostly in order to prevent crimes.
Tasks
- (a) establishing contacts and sources of information about crimes planned or committed, in order to prevent crimes or identify suspected offenders;
- (b) obtaining and verifying evidence by examining crime and accident scenes for clues and physical evidence, interviewing witnesses and suspects and analysing documents and computer files;
- (c) analysing evidence in order to solve crimes, identify criminal activity and gather information for court cases;
- (d) establishing contacts and sources of information not readily available or apparent concerning establishments or the circumstances and behaviour of persons, usually with the aim of preventing a crime;
- (e) making arrests;
- (f) testifying in courts of law or reporting to superiors about circumstances and results of investigations.
Example occupations
Police detective · Police inquiry agent · Police inspector
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- criminal investigatorESCO 3355.1This occupation is broader
Criminal investigators examine and process the scenes of crimes and the evidence found in them. They handle and protect the evidence compliant with rules and regulations, and isolate the scene from outside influence. They photograph the scene, ensure the maintenance of the evidence, and write reports.
- police detectiveESCO 3355.2This occupation is broader
Police detectives gather and compile evidence which assists them in the solution of crimes. They use investigative techniques to gather evidence, and interview all parties connected to their line of enquiry, and cooperate with other police department divisions to gather the evidence.
- private detectiveESCO 3411.8Overlapping, not the same
Private detectives research and analyse information to uncover facts for personal, corporate or legal reasons, depending on their clients. They conduct surveillance activities, which includes taking photos, doing background checks and interviewing individuals. Private detectives may help in criminal and civil cases, child custody, financial fraud, on-line harassment and may search for missing people. They compile all the information into a file and hand it to their clients for further action.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| K1704 | Officier / Officière de police | Overlapping, not the sameprovisional |
| K1706 | Gendarme | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| K1708 | Gardien / Gardienne de la paix | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3631 | Técnicos de la policía nacional, autonómica y local | This occupation is narrower |
| 3632 | Suboficiales de la guardia civil | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 53222 | Berufe im Kriminaldienst - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 53223 | Berufe im Kriminaldienst - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 53224 | Berufe im Kriminaldienst - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 441 | 警察官 | This occupation is narrower |
| 449 | その他の司法警察職員 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources