Editing Detective (section)

===Citizen detectives===
A citizen detective, also known as an amateur detective, is an individual who devotes his or her time and expertise to aid in the [[Criminal Investigation|solving of crime]], without compensation or expectation of reward.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://billyjensen.com/citizen-detectives-crowdsolving/ | title=Citizen Detectives and Crowdsolving | access-date=2021-09-19 | archive-date=2021-09-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927182341/http://billyjensen.com/citizen-detectives-crowdsolving/ | url-status=live }}</ref> Citizen detectives are [[private citizen]]s that have no real professional relationship with law enforcement and lack any [[rational-legal authority]] whatsoever. The reasons why a private citizen might try to solve a crime vary from trying to ensure justice for a friend or relative, a strong dislike for crime and support for [[Law and order (politics)|law and order]], or just recreational enjoyment. 

As with other kinds of detectives, citizen detectives try to solve crimes in multiple ways such as [[Search and seizure|searching a crime scene]], [[Interview|interviewing]] and/or [[Interrogation|interrogating]] [[suspect]]s and witnesses, doing [[surveillance]] on [[Person of interest|persons of interest]], collecting [[Evidence (law)|evidence]], acting as [[Source (journalism)|sources]] for [[News broadcasting|local news]], giving anonymous tips to the police and at times even making [[citizen's arrest]]s while a crime is being committed. Citizen detectives can also help law enforcement by becoming [[witness]]es for [[prosecutor]]s, participating in local [[neighborhood watch]] groups, acting as [[citizen observer]]s for law enforcement, or even aiding the police in searching for and arresting suspects as a [[Posse comitatus|posse]]. However, there have been cases of citizen detectives unintentionally compromising investigations if they lack real crime solving skills or even committing acts against suspected criminals that could be deemed [[vigilantism]] in nature.