A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads them to arrest criminals and enable them to be convicted in court. A detective may work for the police or privately. a detective often works for a law enforcement agency where they gather information and evidence to solve a variety of crimes. Using this evidence, they attempt to determine the course of events that occurred before, during and after a crime and identify a perpetrator. Feel free to ask anything.