Shawn Spencer works as a freelance consultant to the Santa Barbara Police Department, along with his business partner and lifelong best friend Burton Guster. Shawn is hyper-observant, has an eidetic memory. This makes him an excellent detective; however, his impulsiveness, fear of commitment, and lack of follow-through prevented him from achieving a traditional career with the police. Therefore, he fake being a Psychic, that the police believe aids him in solving crimes.