Etsivät

Etsivät is Finnish for investigators or detectives and is commonly used to refer to members of law enforcement who conduct criminal investigations. The term denotes a professional role within police work rather than a separate institution, and it is used across local police departments as well as national agencies to describe frontline investigators handling cases.

The core duties of etsivät include leading or contributing to investigations, gathering and evaluating evidence, interviewing witnesses and suspects, and securing crime scenes. They coordinate with prosecutors, prepare case files, and track leads over time. In practice, etsivät may specialize in particular crime areas such as homicide, organized crime, financial crime, or cybercrime, developing expertise to build solid prosecutions.

Training and career progression for etsivät typically involve police education and field experience, followed by specialized instruction in investigative techniques, forensics, interrogation, and legal procedures. Ongoing professional development is common, and investigators may advance to supervisory roles within investigative units or move between local and national levels of policing.

The word etsivä derives from the verb etsiä, meaning “to search.” The plural form etsivät is used to refer to investigators in general, rather than to a distinct rank or title. In media and public discourse, etsivät are described as the professionals responsible for solving crimes, often working under the supervision of prosecutors and within the framework of Finnish criminal procedure.