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How much do you know about what it’s like to be a detective? And we’re not talking about what you’ve learned from watching Law & Order, Psych or True Detective. Have you ever had the chance to actually speak to people in the field and hear about real cases they’ve solved?

Well, if you’re fascinated by the wild world of solving crimes, you’re in for a treat, pandas. A retired major crimes detective recently hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit and revealed some of the juiciest details about their former line of work. Below, you’ll find the responses they had to curious readers’ questions, as well as a conversation with the post’s author himself.

#1

Screenshot of an online Q&A featuring a retired major crimes detective answering questions about crime.

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    #2

    Screenshot of an online Q&A featuring a retired major crimes detective answering questions about intelligence agencies.

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    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    To be fair it's not hard to be smarter than those who have been leading the US. 🤷‍♀️ And yes, I'm American.

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    #3

    Screenshot of an online Q&A where a retired major crimes detective discusses being a paid writer for publications.

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    amy lee
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    All police officers need this attitude. This one of our own bs is a slide into the depths of corruption

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    To find out even more about this topic, we got in touch with the post's author, Reddit user InevitableEstimate69. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and discuss what inspired him to start this conversation.

    "I'm not an avid Reddit user, I just stumbled across the AMA section and saw some of the posts," the author shared. "I said to myself, '[Darn], I have cooler stories than these!'"

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    #4

    Online Q&A with retired major crimes detective discussing accuracy of violent crime stats and police reporting standards

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    Uncle Panda
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was nearby when the Universal Crime Reporting system was implemented. The UCRs were virtually designed to give control of the crime stats to the local police, who had an inherent conflict of interest.

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    #6

    Online Q&A where a retired major crimes detective discusses being protective versus paranoid after experiences.

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    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This dude's kids won't be able to get away with anything will they? 😂

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    We also asked the OP if he was surprised by how much interest was shown in his post.

    "Yes and no," he says. "I know True Crime and Law Enforcement shows are popular. I don't know why I was asked so many times what shows I liked to watch, though."

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    He also revealed that he didn't spill anything that was supposed to be kept secret. "I suppose it would have been frowned upon to share some case details while they were active, but they're all closed now. I was careful not to reveal sources and methods."

    #7

    Reddit Q&A showing a retired major crimes detective discussing work life balance and secondary trauma effects.

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    Uncle Panda
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Nobody drinks like a cop." I've observed for decades and found this to be true.

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    #8

    Screenshot of a retired major crimes detective answering online questions about red flags in dangerous individuals.

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    Yrral Spavit
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Known to the FBI" does not seem like a crazy idea

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    #9

    Online Q&A with retired major crimes detective sharing cases where evidence affected charges and verdicts.

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    Finally, we asked the author if this trip down memory lane made him miss being a detective. "I already miss it every day," he admitted. "However, it is definitely not good for family life."

    #10

    Reddit conversation with a retired major crimes detective sharing experiences and answering questions online.

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    Helen Rohrlach
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Bull might have been chasing you because you were running. Some of them are just really bigs dogs. Very playful but still as dangerous as hell.

    #11

    Online discussion featuring a retired major crimes detective answering questions about investigative work and law enforcement.

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    Roxy222uk
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    While I get what they're coming from, the person asking the question probably doesn’t know the depths and devastation that uncontrolled gambling can lead to.

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    #12

    Screenshot of an online forum discussion where a retired major crimes detective answers questions about strict parenting and child behavior.

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    Roxy222uk
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Children need to know that adults have set these boundaries, even if they then transgress them. This shows my age, but the example that brought it home to me is that there is a HUGE difference between a school banning smoking behind the bike sheds but knowing that there are kids sneaking out there because it is impossible to stop, and the school allowing smoking behind the bike sheds and the teachers joining them. The former and latter feel very, very different to the pupils of that school, even if the amount of smoking going on is the same.

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    #13

    Reddit conversation with a retired major crimes detective discussing rising child a***e cases and underlying causes.

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    Nils Skirnir
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I know from my mom’s family in semi-rural and small town South Carolina, there were always stories about child rapes, other child abuse, missing kids, etc. Very few of these were ever brought to justice.. in fact, prior to the sixties, crimes against children were kept pretty quiet

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    #14

    Reddit exchange showing a retired major crimes detective answering rare serial killer cases online.

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    justagirl
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    that...escalated at an alarming rate.

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    #15

    Reddit conversation with retired major crimes detective answering questions about surprising cases involving evidence tampering.

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    #16

    Online Q&A discussion showing retired major crimes detective answering questions about m****r case statistics.

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    WalterWhiteSavannah
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    0% i find that incredibly hard to believe. Even the littlest most rinky d**k towns in my area have at least a few unsolved murders.

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    #17

    Reddit user shares insights on spotting major crimes and detecting suspicious behavior from a retired major crimes detective.

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    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again, this guy's kids are going to have trouble pulling anything over on him. I was once able to convince my dad he hadn't seen me skipping school, when it WAS me that he drove past. 😂 I suspect this father would know I was lying.

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    #18

    Reddit Q&A showing a retired major crimes detective discussing haunting cases and experiences with deadly crimes.

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    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think this probably happens more than we want to know. Frankly I'd be OK if my cats ate my body when they were starving. 🤷‍♀️

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    #19

    Reddit Q&A featuring a retired major crimes detective discussing active killers and the impact of surveillance and DNA evidence.

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    Beth H
    Community Member
    Premium
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I recommend the read Murderland. It talks about how the,dad and copper contamination in the PNW led to the rise in the number of serial killers.

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    #20

    Online exchange where a retired major crimes detective explains interrogation tactics and suspect behavior in silence.

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    Jac Carr
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This technique is used in sales and is useful in everyday life too - basically, whoever breaks the silence first, loses. If you ask someone a question you know they're not going to like ie. Are you cheating?, ask the question then SHUT THE F*CK UP. Do not fill the silence by babbling on, just stay quiet and keep looking straight at them; few people can resist speaking under those circumstances so just let them speak & dig their own grave

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    #21

    Screenshot of an online Q&A featuring a retired major crimes detective answering user questions about death sentence views.

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    nm
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would be in favor of capital punishment for narcotrafficers, child ab.u.sers, serial kil1ers and other heavy crimes.

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    #22

    Online Q&A with retired major crimes detective about realistic cop shows and Law and Order opinions.

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    Auntriarch
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Working for the police absolutely ruined cop shows for me, and I was only civilian staff. Apart from 'The thin blue line' with Rowan Atkinson 😂

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    #23

    Online discussion featuring a retired major crimes detective answering questions about crime investigation and policing.

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    Roxy222uk
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    WTF is a bearcat?!?!? Also, the nuances required in policing really, really need a human. Literally much of what makes us human and not robots is tied up in good coppering.

    Mabelbabel
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A bearcat is an armoured vehicle, basically an inner city tank. Some have battering rams and mounted turret guns. They are used by special operations/SWAT type law enforcement.

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    justagirl
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    (gasp) a swear got past the BP censorship! Quick! Screenshot it while you can! Screenshot...d0-png.jpg Screenshot-2025-09-01-at-012939-68b486cf4aed0-png.jpg

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    #24

    Reddit exchange where retired major crimes detective discusses realism of The Wire series based on personal experience.

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    zububonsai
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My dad (the retired crime detective) abhors any crime novels and movies because of their inaccuracies.buuuut there is one film standing out he recommends watching: it shows the immense pressure (time and psychological) the investigators are under: "Es geschah am helllichten Tag" ("It happened on broad daylight) . The black and white thriller from 1958 --> (German version) https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9it5je ////And With English subtitles: https://m.ok.ru/video/1883219954356

    #25

    Reddit user answering questions online about major crimes and detective work in a casual chat format.

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    #27

    Reddit Q&A showing a retired major crimes detective discussing work-life balance and family challenges.

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    Multa Nocte
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Holidays are always domestic disturbance time." That is one of the saddest things I have ever read.

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    #28

    Online Q&A featuring a retired major crimes detective discussing skills like attention to detail and police procedures.

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    #29

    Online discussion where a retired major crimes detective shares insights on realistic police investigations in media.

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    Foxglove🇮🇪
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's 30 years since I did my police training and tape-recording was just being introduced. TV interviews still bug me. They don't make the right introductions for the tape/video (eg never give the date); at the end they might say "interview terminated" but do t give the required date and time and never sign the tapes and put them in evidence bags. A small thing but it annoys me no end!

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    #30

    Reddit Q&A showing a retired major crimes detective discussing law enforcement and private sector work.

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    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My brother was set on becoming a cop from about the time he was 16. He did a bachelor of criminology and then applied straight after. He did the testing and was on to the interview stage where he was asked 'why do you want to become a police officer?' and he couldn't answer it. He decided not to go further, though he did apply for the federal police after. He realised he wanted to be more on the making of laws side, so did a masters of politics and policy making. Afterwards he applied for a lot of graduate positions in that field (including ASIO) but never got anywhere so is working as a manager of a Salvation Army op shop.

    #31

    Online Q&A showing a retired major crimes detective discussing law enforcement discretion and moral challenges.

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    Anikulapo
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How would dui checkpoints be unconstitutional?

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    #32

    Chat exchange with a retired major crimes detective discussing undercover work and investigation complexities online.

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    Rob D
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If a child predator tried to off themselves just prior to arrest and I was a cop I have to say my reflexes that day would be a shade poorer.

    #33

    Reddit conversation with a retired major crimes detective answering questions about investigative detention and legal protections.

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    Upstaged75
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I watch a lot of body cam shows/videos (watching one now actually) and SO many people talk themselves in to an arrest when really the cop was just going to write them a ticket and send them on their way. Or they flee from a traffic stop and end up in a car chase, which is usually a felony - because their license is suspended or something stupid that would have simply been a ticket. 🙄

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    #34

    Online discussion featuring a retired major crimes detective responding to questions about ICE and law enforcement issues.

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    Rob D
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Blaming the crowds for cuffing and stuffing. Absolutely zero doubt every single one of his suspects are guilty. This guy is presenting a good front as a well reasoned, completely responsible, LEO, but the red flags abound.

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    #35

    Screenshot of an online Q&A where a retired major crimes detective discusses qualified immunity and legal experiences.

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    #36

    Online Q&A with retired major crimes detective discussing intelligence and police recruiting insights.

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    Rob D
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you interact with them and hear them interact with others you can definitely tell that they get the very middle to lower end of the bell curve overall. While making eye contact at the scene of an accident I literally pointed at my car to a cop and said that's my car. He asked for some more information then asked which ones your car. ... This is not an exceptional exchange. Watch body cam videos. It's friggin scary how dumb MANY leos are.

    #37

    Reddit Q&A about how to become a major crimes detective, emphasizing street experience and investigative opportunities.

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    #38

    Online discussion with retired major crimes detective about culture, colleagues, prosecutors, and job challenges in major crimes.

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    #39

    Reddit conversation discussing police shows and realism, shared by a retired major crimes detective online.

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    Awkward lady
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can understand that. After doing law as a trainee and having a law degree, I hate watching trials on TV!

    #40

    Reddit conversation showing a retired major crimes detective answering questions about wrongful convictions and law enforcement.

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