Investigator Resource Center
The investigative gateway for detectives and investigators — organized by discipline, built by practitioners, and updated to reflect current law and best practice.
In Development
Investigative Guides
Step-by-step procedural guides for specific investigative tasks
In Development
Case Studies
Annotated real-world cases with methodology and outcome analysis
In Development
Legal References
Case law summaries, warrant templates, and statutory references
In Development
Technology Resources
Tool guides, software comparisons, and digital evidence protocols
Legal & Professional Disclaimer: CommunityPolicing.com provides educational information for law enforcement professionals and criminal justice students. Content does not constitute legal advice, agency policy, or a substitute for consultation with an agency's legal counsel, prosecutor, training authority, or current controlling law. Laws, court decisions, regulations, and agency policies change over time. Users should independently verify legal authority applicable to their jurisdiction before taking official action.
Practical Tools
Lead Desk
Practical checklists, worksheets, matrices, and reference tools — organized by investigative phase. Includes the New Detective Toolkit, homicide first-24-hours checklist, victimology worksheet, case-theory worksheet, search warrant planning checklist, digital evidence reference guide, cold case triage worksheet, and more.
Browse by Discipline
Resources organized the way investigators work
Select a discipline to explore available guides, case studies, legal references, and training resources — or open the full discipline page for the complete resource roadmap.
Homicide Investigation
From scene response to case closure
Comprehensive resources for homicide investigators — covering scene management, victimology, suspect development, interview strategy, and case presentation. Includes cold case methodology and clearance rate improvement frameworks.
Available Resources
- First 24 Hours Checklist
- Victimology Worksheet
- Investigative Timeline Template
- Lead & Suspect Matrix
- Case-Theory Worksheet
- Search Warrant Planning Checklist
Key Topics
Related Resources
Specialized Resources
One authoritative location for each resource
The IRC links to existing specialized resources rather than duplicating them. Each resource below is maintained independently and kept current.
Built for investigators at every level
New Detectives
Foundational guides, case-initiation checklists, and the New Detective Toolkit — everything needed to build investigative fundamentals.
Experienced Investigators
Advanced guides, legal updates, specialized discipline resources, and tools for complex multi-agency investigations.
Investigative Supervisors
Supervisor checklists, case-review frameworks, and resources for managing investigative units and quality assurance.
Digital Evidence Practitioners
First responder protocols, forensic tool guidance, legal process references, and admissibility resources.
Cold Case Investigators
Triage worksheets, NamUs integration guides, forensic genealogy resources, and the full Cold Case Center.
Multi-Jurisdictional Task Forces
Information sharing frameworks, fusion center coordination guides, and resources for cross-agency investigations.
Contribute to the Investigator Resource Center
The IRC is built by practitioners, for practitioners. If you have investigative guides, case studies, legal analysis, or training materials you'd like to contribute, we want to hear from you. All submissions are reviewed by our editorial team before publication.
Submit a contributionAccess the full Investigator Resource Center
Create a free account to access investigative guides, case studies, legal updates, and discipline-specific training resources.