Senior officers head specialised departments such as crime or traffic.
In a major operation, the operations department can involve different kinds of police officers - the CID, traffic and special units such as horses, dogs and river police working closely together. Traffic police have detailed knowledge of motoring law and the safety needs of the different kinds of vehicles that people drive. In reality, the moments of high drama are based on hours, months or even years of dedicated professionalism. A good detective needs a sharp eye for detail, an excellent memory and the ability to judge character. Each force has its own special branch, whose most important duty is combating terrorism.