24th June 2015

Origins and Development of the Detective Profession – A Brief Overview by Kurtz Investigations Cologne

Origins of the Detective Profession

The word "detective" derives from the Latin detegere (to uncover, reveal) and was used from the early 19th century—possibly even the 18th century—in Great Britain for official investigators who, in order to remain inconspicuous, mingled with the public in plain clothes. In the early stages of their work, these undercover officers enjoyed considerable popularity among the population, as their successes were often groundbreaking. The first representatives of this profession, and thus the precursors to Kurtz Investigations Cologne, were the London Bow Street Runners.

Private Investigations and Official Law Enforcement in Germany Remain Strictly Separate

The cradle of the detective profession therefore lies in Britain. Unfortunately, a similar blending and cooperation between detectives and the “official” police has never taken place satisfactorily in Germany. The scepticism of criminal authorities toward private detectives may be due, among other things, to the glorification of the profession by popular culture, which began even before the detective trade had really established itself in Germany — a decisive difference from Britain, the United States and also France, where private investigators were sometimes employed considerably earlier. In addition, under Article 20 of the Basic Law the monopoly on the use of force lies solely with the state in the Federal Republic of Germany, and matters of public security therefore fall under the remit of the official investigative authorities. Close cooperation between private detectives and investigative authorities is consequently not envisaged by the constitution.

 

The field of activity of private detectives in Cologne and Germany therefore covers those areas where facts or suspicions exist that are initially not of public interest or are not assessed as such by the investigative authorities. This includes, among other things, the investigation of offences committed by employees of a company (sick-pay fraud, theft, embezzlement etc.), but also many matters of a private nature: infidelity in relationships, searches for missing persons, debtor tracing, undisclosed income in maintenance calculations and much more.

New Scotland Yard Sign; Kurtz Investigations Cologne, Private Detectives Cologne, Detective Agency Cologne, Private Investigators Cologne

The origin of the detective profession lies in England. From the London Metropolitan Police — today headquartered at “New Scotland Yard” — emerged the first detectives in history: the Bow Street Runners.

Not Lone Wolves: The Detectives Of Kurtz Detective Agency Cologne Work Fundamentally In Teams

Crime novels and films have long portrayed the private detective as a brilliant, unusually gifted solo super-detective who solves cases alone by virtue of observation and reasoning. That this occurs in practice only very rarely and that teamwork has always been the basis of successful investigative work is often overlooked. The detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Cologne, for their part, rely on intensive networking with excellent contacts and colleagues from other detective agencies in order to achieve the best possible result for you.

Kurtz Detective Agency Cologne

Zülpicher Straße 58D

D-50674 Köln | Cologne

Tel.: +49 221 4558 0377

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-koeln.de  

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-koeln.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-koeln

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