The Reid Course in Interviewing/Interrogation

[Highroad214]

I was just wondering if anyone else has been through this training course? They train agencies from all over the place to include everything from private companies to police detectives to federal agencies.

I had the opportunity to go through the basic and advanced course recently, and am just wondering if it would be worth it to get officially certified through them? Would it be something helpful on a resume to potential police departments once it comes time to apply to them?

[Samuel]

IMO, it doesn't mean much. All else being equal, I'd rather work with an ex-military guy/gal than someone who has been certified in Reid...

[Kimble]

Would it be something helpful on a resume to potential police departments once it comes time to apply to them?

Not enough for what it will cost you out of pocket.

[Highroad214]

Well, thankfully my company paid for me to attend the course. I suppose some people won't even know what the difference between just attending the course and actually paying them to get certified in it. We interview and interrogate people all the time at my job, and they basically want us all doing this technique. I wasn't going to complain about them paying me while I attend and pay for the course haha

[Ispbear]

The Reid course is a decent interview and interogation school. I know that several private companies use their school for their security guys. But in my opinion getting a piece of paper saying your certified won't mean anything. If you end up getting into law enforcement you will have a closet full of certificates that do nothing than gather dust. The knowledge you gain from these courses is the only thing that matters.

[retdetsgt]

IMO, interrogation is more of an art than a science. You have people with varying degrees of talent. I could attend 100 art schools and never become a decent artist although I would know some techniques. But as was stated, any knowledge is helpful.

But it won't buy you a thing when you apply for a job in law enforcement. We require minimum standards, test those that meet them, grade the tests (written and oral), do several pass/fail (physical agility, medical, background) and create a list. We hire from the top. Any prior technical schools won't come in to play during that process.

[Highroad214]

Makes sense, since I guess how LE agencies hire people is based more on what you haven't done than what you have in regards to hiring someone. And of course those pass/fail things like the PT test, etc.

[retdetsgt]

Makes sense, since I guess how LE agencies hire people is based more on what you haven't done than what you have in regards to hiring someone. And of course those pass/fail things like the PT test, etc.

Not entirely. Some minimum qualifications are quite high. And military service will get you veteran's points.

[Kimble]

IMO, interrogation is more of an art than a science.

This is really how most LE agencies will view an applicant "trained" in interviews/interrogations without any practical application of it in the field. It's like having a CJ degree, it's a nice piece of paper and you may have learned something useful, but that CJ degree won't allow you to skip having to complete a LE academy.

I've had a good bit of interrogation training. I've been through Reid basic and advance courses twice each, CITP and a federal add-on academy (both with several days of interrogation training with practical exercises), and some other interviewing courses and did not get good at doing interrogations until I spent a good bit of time doing them with real cases. Lot different trying to get a confession from someone who faces real consequences as opposed to a role player or recorded interview someone else has done.

[retdetsgt]

Lot different trying to get a confession from someone who faces real consequences as opposed to a role player or recorded interview someone else has done.

Yep. I took Reid after I'd been a detective for about 6 or 7 years and to be honest, I didn't learn anything I hadn't already picked up from working with more senior detectives and finding out what worked and didn't work for me. It's hard to get a one size fits all approach to anything like that. Yet I would recommend Reid for anyone starting out, it gives you a good start.

[Highroad214]

I'm glad my military service will help in regards to possibly getting a career in LE. Smartest move I ever made was signing up at age 17. Did 5 years and got out young enough to still have a world of options open to me.