What is a Police Sketch Artist?
Usually a police sketch artist will assist law enforcement agencies in identifying suspects in a crime. However, they may also help agencies identify skeletal remains or missing persons. Artists work for a variety of law enforcement agencies including city police departments and county sheriffs offices. They may also work with federal law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations. Artists must first obtain information from a victim or witness. This requires excellent communication skills. The sketch artist must be able to get a traumatized individual to recall details and interpret them correctly in order to draw a composite sketch of the suspect. Because a large part of the job involves dealing with victims of crimes, classes in psychology and criminal justice may be helpful.
