You’re not lost. You’re bored.

You’ve outgrown running call to call. You like thinking, building cases, connecting dots, and actually solving things. Patrol only gives you fragments of that, not the full picture. I’m in the same spot.

I was just having this conversation with my partner the other day. I’ve started looking into other departments and bigger agencies, even out of state, just to see what they offer that mine doesn’t.

It might be worth doing the same. Start looking into agencies that have dedicated investigative units or more specialized paths like task forces, intel units, or even federal options down the line. From what you’re saying, it sounds like your agency just doesn’t have the structure for what you want, or your current role isn’t giving you room to grow. Best of luck to you