List of fictional police detectives
Below is an alphabetical list of fictional police detectives and their creators.
A
- Detective Butch Ada – Saving Grace
- Detective Tohru Adachi – Persona 4
- Commissaire Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg – Fred Vargas
- Detective Goro Akechi – Persona 5
- DCI Roderick Alleyn – Ngaio Marsh
- Chief Inspector W. R. Allison – The Brighton Strangler
- Detective John Anthony – Kingston's Finest
- Inspector Arnz – House of Frankenstein
- Detective Nick Armstrong— ''The Rookie''
B
- Detective Sergeant John Bacchus – Alan Hunter
- Detective Angel Batista — Dexter
- Kriminalhauptkommissar Balko – Balko
- Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks – Peter Robinson
- Detective Carolyn Barek – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Anthony Vincenzo "Tony" Baretta – created by Stephen J Connell
- Detective Inspector Charlie Barlow – Troy Kennedy Martin and Allan Prior
- Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby – Caroline Graham
- Detective Chief Inspector Thomas "Tom" Barnaby – Caroline Graham
- Detective Kate Beckett – Castle, Andrew W. Marlowe
- Detective Cal Beecher – Person of Interest
- Detective Mick Belker – Hill Street Blues
- Detective Olivia Benson - played by Mariska Hargitay on Law & Order: SVU
- Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac – Robert Banks Stewart
- Detective Chief Inspector David Bilborough – Jimmy McGovern
- Inspector Bird –
- Detective G. Lynn Bishop – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Captain John Book – Pamela Wallace, Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley
- Detective Inspector Mike Bolt – Simon Kernick
- Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte – Arthur Upfield
- Detective Stella Bonasera – CSI: NY
- DS Camille Bordey – Death in Paradise
- Detective Harry Bosch – Michael Connelly
- Detective Constable Gary Boyle – Ben Elton
- Detective Braenders – The Light in the Dark
- Detective Aya Brea – Parasite Eve
- Inspector William Brent – Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode Banquo's Chair
- Detective Lennie Briscoe – Law & Order
- Detective Inspector Nash Bridges – Carlton Cuse
- Detective Constable David Briggs – Jasper Carrott
- Inspector Bristol – The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
- Detective Sergeant Ronnie Brooks – Dick Wolf
- Inspector Bucket – Charles Dickens
- Detective Lieutenant Frank Bullitt – Robert L. Fish
- Detective Sergeant George Bulman - Created by Murray Smith and played by Don Henderson in the TV series Strangers
- Inspector Edward C. Burke –
- Special Agent Peter Burke –
- Detective Harvey Bullock – Batman comics, Archie Goodwin, Howard Chaykin, Doug Moench and Don Newton
- Detective Aiden Burn – CSI: NY
- Detective Sergeant Marcus Burnett – George Gallo
- Detective Inspector Frank Burnside – Geoff McQueen
C
- Max Carrados – a blind detective in a series of mystery stories by Ernest Bramah
- Detective Inspector Jack Caffery – Mo Hayder
- Detective Christine Cagney – Barbara Avedon and Barbara Corday
- Lieutenant Horatio Caine –
- Inspector Harry Callahan – Harry Julian Fink and Rita M. Fink
- Chief Inspector Chen Cao – Qiu Xiaolong
- Detective 2nd Grade Stephen Louis Carella – Ed McBain
- Detective Sergeant Ray Carling – Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes
- Detective Chief Inspector Ted Case – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Lieutenant Gabriel Cash – Randy Feldman and Jeffrey Boam
- Detective Sergeant George Carter – Ian Kennedy Martin
- Detective Jocelyn "Joss" Carter – Person of Interest
- Detective Constable Jim Carver – Geoff McQueen
- Detective Sergeant Sam Casey – Dick Wolf
- Commissaire Henri Castang – Nicholas Freeling
- Detective Phil Cerreta – Law & Order
- Inspector Raoul de Chagny – Phantom of the Opera
- Detective Inspector Hal Challis – Garry Disher
- Charlie Chan – Earl Derr Biggers
- Detective Elizabeth Childs – Orphan Black
- Detective John Clark, Jr. – NYPD Blue
- Detective John Clark, Sr. – NYPD Blue
- Police Sergeant Barry Clive – Thirteen Women
- Inspector Jacques Clouseau – Blake Edwards' The Pink Panther
- Detective Rust Cohle – True Detective
- Lieutenant Frank Columbo – William Link
- Lieutenant Marion "Cobra" Cobretti – Paula Gosling
- Detective Chief Inspector Roisin Connor – Lynda la Plante
- Sergeant Cork
- Detective Inspector Henry Crabbe – Pie in the Sky
- DI Vincent Crane – Shaun Hutson
- DI Andy Crawford in Dixon – Dock Green
- Sergeant Cribb – Peter Lovesey
- Detective Sergeant James "Sonny" Crockett – Anthony Yerkovich
- Detective Alex Cross – James Patterson
- – Wilkie Collins's The Moonstone
- Commissioner Cummings – Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode Safety for the Witness
- Detective Jackie Curatola – Blue Bloods played by Jennifer Esposito
- Detective Nick Curran – Joe Eszterhas
- Detective Rey Curtis – Law & Order
- Special Agent Clara Seger - )
- Detective Lieutenant Frank Cioffi – ''Curtains (musical)''
D
- Commander Adam Dalgliesh – P. D. James
- Lieutenant Eve Dallas – J. D. Robb
- Detective Jack Cloth – A Touch of Cloth
- Detective Jake Peralta – “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
- Detective Jo Danville – CSI: NY
- Assistant Commissioner Shabor Dasgupta – Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay
- Detective Sergeant Deke DaSilva – David Shaber and Paul Sylbert
- Detective Constable "Dangerous" Davies – Leslie Thomas
- Senior Detective Antonio Dawson - Chicago P.D.
- Lieutenant Rick Deckard – Philip K. Dick
- DI De Cock – A. C. Baantjer
- Detective Inspector Vivenne Deering – Paul Abbott
- Detective Sergeant Dan "Bean" Delgardo – Robert Kaufman and Floyd Mutrux
- Detective Lieutenant James Dempsey – Ranald Graham
- Detective Sergeant Matt Devlin – Dick Wolf
- Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond – Peter Lovesey
- Detective Ryotaro Dojima – Persona 4
- Detective Inspector Alex Drake – Matthew Graham and Ashley Pharoah
- Lt. Frank Drebin – Police Squad!
- DCP Durai Singam – Singam
- Inspector Doyle – The Great Ziegfeld
- Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus – Blake Edwards' The Pink Panther
- Lieutenant Double-Yefreitor Harrier "Harry" DuBois – Disco Elysium
- Detective Lieutenant Dundy –
- Detective Rosa Diaz – ”Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
- Detective Sergeant James Doakes — Dexter
E
- Detective Alexandra Eames – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Daniel Espinoza – Lucifer
- Detective Javier Esposito – Andrew W. Marlowe
F
- Inspector Jefe Javier Falcón – Robert Wilson
- Detective Nola Falacci – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Inspector John "Scottie" Ferguson –
- Inspector Fix – Around the World in Eighty Days
- Detective Don Flack – CSI: NY
- Lieutenant Flannery – Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode Safety for the Witness
- Police Inspector Jim Flower –
- Detective Joe Fontana - Law & Order
- Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes – Terence Feely
- Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle –
- DI Stuart Fraser – Taggart
- Inspector Joseph French – Freeman Wills Crofts
- Detective Sergeant Joe Friday – Jack Webb
- Detective Inspector Jack Frost – R. D. Wingfield
- Detective Sergeant Matthew Fox – David Shaber and Paul Sylbert
- Detective Lionel Fusco – ''Person of Interest''
G
- Inspector Gina Gold – The Bill
- Chief Inspector Armand Gamache – Louise Penny
- Detective Harry Garibaldi – Hill Street Blues
- Detective Chief Inspector George Gently – Alan Hunter
- Inspector Ganesh V. Ghote – H. R. F. Keating
- DSI Stella Gibson – The Fall
- Commander George Gideon – John Creasey
- Inspector Good – Hook
- Detective James Gordon – Gotham
- Detective Robert Goren – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Sergeant Rinus de Gier – Janwillem van de Wetering
- Harry Goodman – Pokémon Detective Pikachu
- Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman – Robert Thorogood
- Inspector Goole – J. B. Priestley
- Detective Robert Goren – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Superintendent Roy Grace – Peter James
- Detective Jack Graham – Shadow of a Doubt
- Detective Kima Greggs – The Wire
- Inspector Gregson – Arthur Conan Doyle
- Detective Ed Green – Law & Order
- Detective Chief Inspector Dan Griffin – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Adjutant Henk Grijpstra – Janwillem van de Wetering
- Detective Inspector Derek Grim – Ben Elton
- Joseph Grimstone - Aurora Floyd by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
- Marshal Guarnaccia – Magdalen Nabb
- Detective Dick Gumshoe – Ace Attorney
- DI Gunnarstranda – Kjell Ola Dahl
- Officer Marge Gunderson – ''Fargo''
H
- Detective Chief Superintendent Jack Halford – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Grace Hanadarko – Saving Grace
- Inspector Hanaud – A. E. W. Mason
- Lieutenant Vincent Hanna – Michael Mann
- Detective Harding – The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu
- Detective Inspector Alec Hardy – Broadchurch
- Detective Martin Hart – True Detective
- Detective Sergeant James Hathaway –
- Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers – Elizabeth George
- Detective Sergeant John Ho – Ian Kennedy Martin
- Detective Mike Hoolihan – Martin Amis
- Inspector Hopkins – Arthur Conan Doyle
- Commissioner Sir Basil Humphrey – Dracula's Daughter
- Detective Chief Inspector Gene Hunt – Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan and Ashley Pharoah
- Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson – William Blinn and Ryan Blinn
- Inspector Huxley – The Suspect
- Detective chief Jim Hopper – “Stranger Things”
- Detective Nyla Harper — The Rookie
I
- CBI Officer Sethurama Iyer –
- SAC Isobel Castille - )
J
- Superintendent Jack Meadows – The Bill
- Inspector Jacobson – Iain McDowall
- Inspector Jackson –
- Detective Chief Inspector James Japp – Agatha Christie
- Inspector Javert – Victor Hugo
- Detective Chief Inspector Richard Jury – Martha Grimes
- Detective Jacob Peralta – Andy Samberg
- Detective Jo Martinez - )
K
- Detective Kane – Person of Interest
- Detective Eddie Kane – The Stolen Jools
- Detective J.Z. Kane – Walter Hill
- Detective Assistant Inspector Steven Keller – Carolyn Weston
- Detective John Kelly – NYPD Blue
- Detective Kelly – Down to Earth
- Inspector Kemp – Young Frankenstein
- Sergeant John Kennedy – The Tall Target
- Detective Jill Kirkendall – NYPD Blue
- Detective Bert Kling – Ed McBain
- Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak – Abby Mann
- Detective Kreps – Steve Martin & John Hoffman
- Inspector Krogh – ''Son of Frankenstein''
L
- Detective Mary Beth Lacey – Barbara Avedon and Barbara Corday
- Detective Angela Lopez — The Rookie
- Detective Meyer Landsman – Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union
- Detective Inspector Brian Lane – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Chief Inspector James Langton – Lynda La Plante
- Drury Lane (character) – a deaf detective created by Ellery Queen
- Detective J.D. LaRue – Hill Street Blues
- Detective Carlton Lassiter – Psych
- Commissaire Claude Lebel – Frederick Forsyth
- Inspector Ledoux –
- Inspector Charles LeDuque –
- Inspector Jacques Lefevre –
- Inspector Lestrade – Arthur Conan Doyle
- Detective Inspector Mike Lewis – Lynda La Plante
- Detective Sergeant Robert Lewis – Colin Dexter
- Detective Erin Lindsay - Chicago P.D.
- Detective Constable Alfred "Tosh" Lines – Geoff McQueen
- Detective Superintendent Joona Linna – Lars Kepler
- Vicequestore Lolita Lobosco –
- Detective Superintendent Tom Lockhart –
- Detective Mike Logan – Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Sergeant Michael Lowrey – George Gallo
- Detective Constable Bob Louis – Jasper Carrott
- Detective Inspector Sarah Lund – Søren Sveistrup
- Detective Chief Inspector John Luther – Neil Cross
- Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley – Elizabeth George
- Detective Maria Laguerta — Dexter''
M
- Detective Inspector Steve McAndrew – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Lieutenant John McClane –
- Captain Mark McCluskey –
- Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald of Scotland Yard – E.C.R. Lorac
- Detective Connie McDowell – NYPD Blue
- Detective Lieutenant Steve McGarrett – Leonard Freeman
- Detective James "Jimmy" McNulty – The Wire
- Inspector Mackenzie – Doctor Who episode Ghost Light
- Detective Vic Mackey – Shawn Ryan
- Detective Garda Cassie Maddox – Sarah Phelps
- Sergeant Ivor Maddox – Elizabeth Linington
- Commissaire Jules Maigret – Georges Simenon
- Detective Sergeant Harriet "Harry" Makepeace – Ranald Graham
- Detective Patsy Mayo – Hill Street Blues
- Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows – The Bill
- Lieutenant Luis Mendoza – Elizabeth Linington writing as Dell Shannon
- Detective Danny Messer – CSI: NY
- Detective Meyer Meyer – Ed McBain
- Detective Sergeant Ellie Miller – Chris Chibnall
- Detective Chief Inspector Sasha Miller – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Mills – Se7en
- Detective Inspector Tomoe Minai - Higurashi When They Cry
- Detective Robert Monday – Premium Rush
- Detective Lindsay Monroe – CSI: NY
- Inspector Angus Montague –
- Commisario Salvo Montalbano – Andrea Camilleri
- Detective Inspector Jack Mooney – Robert Thorogood
- Detective William "Bunk" Moreland – The Wire
- Detective Debra Morgan - Dexter
- Detective Inspector Helen Morton -
- Detective Chief Inspector Endeavour Morse – Colin Dexter
- Detective William Murdoch – Murdoch Mysteries
- Detective Roger Murtaugh – Shane Black
- Detective Angie Miller — Dexter
- Captain Thomas Matthews — Dexter
N
- Detective Zack Nichols – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Detective Inspector Saga Norén – Hans Rosenfeldt
- Detective Inspector Patricia "Pat" North – Lynda la Plante
O
- Detective Juliet O'Hara – Psych
- Police Inspector Mike O'Hara – The Falcon Takes Over
- Chief O'Hara – Batman
- Brigid O'Reilly / Mayhem – Cloak & Dagger (TV series)
- Detective Rita Ortiz – NYPD Blue
- Superintendent Otani – James Melville
- Sergeant Ottermole – Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode The Hands of Mr. Ottermole
- Inspector Owen – ''Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man''
P
- Inspector Frans J. Palmu –
- Detective Manny Pardo – Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
- Detective Inspector Charles Parker – Dorothy L. Sayers
- Detective Inspector Peter Pascoe – Reginald Hill
- Detective Inspector Charlie Peace – Robert Barnard
- Inspector Peterson –
- Commisario Achille Peroni – Timothy Holme
- Detective Lucky Piquel – Disney Television Animation production Bonkers
- Detective Hercule Poirot - Agatha Christie
- Detective Sergeant Tom Polhaus –
- Detective Inspector Richard Poole – Robert Thorogood
- Officer Powers –
- Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Inspector Walter Purbright – Colin Watson
- Assistant Commissioner of Police Pradyuman – Shivaji Satam
- Detective Jacob "Jake" Peralta – ''Brooklyn Nine-Nine''
Q
- Detective Joey Quinn — Dexter
R
- Detective Inspector John Rebus – Ian Rankin
- Detective Danny Reagan – Mitchell Burgess & Robin Green
- Inspector Redding –
- Detective Inspector Jack Regan – Ian Kennedy Martin
- Inspector Renard –
- Chief Investigator Arkady Renko – Martin Cruz Smith
- Detective Inspector Rob Reilly – Sarah Phelps
- Detective Oskar Rheinhardt – Frank Tallis
- Inspector Luigi Alfredo Ricciardi – Maurizio De Giovanni
- Detective Martin Riggs – Shane Black
- Detective Inspector John River – Abi Morgan
- Detective Jane Rizzoli – Tess Gerritsen
- Commissioner Mihai Roman
- Detective Inspector Daniel Robbins – Carolyn Weston
- Detective Lilly Rush – Meredith Stiehm
- Detective Diane Russell – NYPD Blue
- Detective Kevin Ryan – Andrew W. Marlowe
S
- Detective Frank Serpico – Frank Serpico
- Detective Gloria Shepherd – The Protector
- Detective Bobby Simone – NYPD Blue
- Detective Andy Sipowicz – NYPD Blue
- Detective Constable Chris Skelton – Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes
- Detective Ema Skye – Ace Attorney
- Detective Inspector Slack – Agatha Christie
- Detective Danny Sorenson – NYPD Blue
- Detective Elliot Stabler - Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime
- Detective Sergeant Gerry Standing – Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell
- Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope – Ann Cleeves
- Lieutenant Norman Stansfield – Luc Besson
- Detective David Starsky – William Blinn and Ryan Blinn
- Detective Serena Stevens – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Inspector Nayland Smith – Sax Rohmer
- Police Chief Jesse Stone – Robert B. Parker
- Detective Lieutenant Michael Stone – Carolyn Weston
- Detective Milo Sturgis – Jonathan Kellerman
- Chief Inspector Ukyō Sugishita – Aibō
- Detective Sunday – American Gigolo
- Sergeant Katsuya Suou - Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
- Superintendent Sutherland –
- Detective Bill Szymanski – ''Person of Interest''
T
- Detective Chief Inspector Jim Taggart – Glenn Chandler
- Lieutenant Raymond Tango – Randy Feldman and Jeffrey Boam
- Inspector Charles Tarran – Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode The Impromptu Murder
- Detective Mac Taylor – CSI: NY
- Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison – Lynda La Plante
- Detective Raymond Terney – Person of Interest
- Detective Inspectors Thomson and Thompson – Hergé
- Detective Inspector Tom Thorne – Mark Billingham
- Detective Inspector Fred Thursday – Russell Lewis, based on the characters created by Colin Dexter
- Lieutenant Moe Tilden – James Mangold
- Detective Inspector Anna Travis – Lynda La Plante
- Detective Sergeant Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs – Anthony Yerkovich
- Detective Sergeant Fin Tutuola - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- Detective Inspector Sam Tyler – Matthew Graham, Tony Jordan and Ashley Pharoah
V
- Commissaris Simon 'Piet' Van der Valk – Nicolas Freeling
- DCI Van Veeteren – Håkan Nesser
- Detective Van Zwam from the comics series The Adventures of Nero
- Detective Ray Vecchio - Due South
- Detective Vic Varallo – Elizabeth Linington writing as Leslie Egan
- His Grace Commander Sir Samuel Vimes, Duke of Ankh – Terry Pratchett, ''Discworld''
W
- Detective Chief Superintendent Michael "Mike" Walker – Lynda la Plante
- Detective Sergeant Tim "Freebie" Walker – Robert Kaufman and Floyd Mutrux
- Kriminalkommissarie Kurt Wallander – Henning Mankell
- Detective Inspector Eric Wardle – Robert Galbraith
- Inspector John Warwick –
- Detective Neal Washington – Hill Street Blues
- Detective Sergeant John Watt – Troy Kennedy Martin and Allan Prior
- Detective Joe West – Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns
- Detective Chief Inspector Reginald Wexford – Ruth Rendell
- Detective Megan Wheeler – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Inspector Wilcox –
- Sergeant Wilkes –
- Detective Williams – Steve Martin & John Hoffman
- Inspector Williams –
- Detective Chief Inspector Charlie Wise – Jimmy McGovern
- Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe – W. J. Burley
- Detective Claudette Wallace — Dexter: Resurrection
Z
- Commisario Aurelio Zen – Michael Dibdin