Hi, I’m Dean, and I work as an Immigration Officer in Criminal and Financial Investigation (CFI), leading investigations into serious and organised immigration crime. My work focuses on disrupting abuse of the UK border, tackling immigration fraud, people smuggling, and protecting people at risk of exploitation.
I manage complex, high-harm investigations from initial intelligence through to prosecution. This includes overseeing evidential strategy, leading suspect interviews, and coordinating enforcement activity, while working closely with partner agencies. For me, it’s about more than outcomes, it’s about dismantling criminal networks and preventing harm.
Building a career in investigation
I joined the Home Office in 2022 and quickly started building my investigative skills at PIP0 level (Professionalising Investigation Programme, Level 1) in the CFI team. After completing my initial training, the Home Office provided me with training towards PIP1 accreditation, and I continued developing my experience within the team.
Alongside my main role, I developed an interest in digital evidence. I gained accreditation as a Digital Media Investigator, and I now also support the team as a Digital Media Advisor.
I later passed the Immigration Enforcement Investigator’s Examination (IEIE), allowing me to progress to PIP2 level accreditation. This included advanced investigation and interview training, enabling me to lead serious and organised immigration crime investigations. I’ve also stepped into temporary Chief Immigration Officer roles, building experience managing investigations and team deployments.
From frontline work to leading investigations
From a young age, I always wanted to be a detective. Before joining the Home Office, I worked as a prison officer for nearly five years, which shaped how I approach public service. It was a challenging role, but the moments where you could genuinely help someone change their path made it worthwhile. That mindset stayed with me, so when I came across a role in CFI, it immediately stood out. It felt like an opportunity to keep making a real difference, protecting vulnerable people and contributing to public safety.
No two days are the same
No two days in CFI are the same, which is one of the things I enjoy most.
There’s an on-call element, so I can be deployed at short notice to respond to live criminal activity, making arrests or beginning immediate evidence gathering. On other days, I could be preparing suspect interviews, analysing data to locate offenders, or building case files for the Crown Prosecution Service. I also liaise with prosecutors and attend court as cases progress.
“Knowing you’ve prevented harm is what makes it worthwhile.”
What motivates me most is the opportunity to protect vulnerable people. Organised immigration crime is often linked to exploitation, particularly involving vulnerable individuals. Disrupting those networks and helping safeguard people is the most rewarding part of the job.
There are long and demanding days, but knowing your work has helped prevent harm makes it worthwhile. Seeing a case progress through to a successful prosecution is also incredibly fulfilling.
Support, flexibility and development
For a frontline role, the flexibility is better than people might expect. Any additional hours I work can be taken back as time off in lieu, and there’s a strong culture of trust and teamwork. Even with on-call responsibilities, the team is always supportive if you need to swap, someone will help.
There are also strong development opportunities, whether you want to specialise further, gain new skills, or progress into different roles.
A role where your work really matters
I would strongly recommend a career in Criminal and Financial Investigation. The work is challenging, but it’s also hugely rewarding. When an investigation leads to a conviction and you know you’ve helped protect vulnerable people, that’s what makes it worthwhile.
CFI continues to grow and plays an important role in tackling organised crime and protecting communities. If you’re motivated, resilient, and want a role where your work truly matters, it’s a great place to build a career.
