Criminal Level I — Investigative Interviewing Techniques
The WZ criminal interview foundation. A three-day seminar for sworn investigators and detectives covering ethical question strategy, rapport building, behavior analysis, false-confession risk, and admissions — all built around the WZ non-confrontational method.
Built For
- Detectives & investigators
- Patrol supervisors
- Task force members
- Federal agencies (FBI, DEA, ATF, OIG)
- State investigators
- Public-safety trainers
What Sworn Investigators Get from Level I
Criminal Level I is the WZ method built for law enforcement — an evidence-based, rapport-first interview structure designed to surface reliable information without relying on confrontation. The certificate is eligible for CEU credit in many jurisdictions.
Legally Defensible
Methods that hold up under cross-examination and align with modern case-law expectations.
Rapport Without Compromise
Open interviews with rapport and structure — the most reliable path to truthful information.
False-Confession Risk
Spot the conditions that produce unreliable statements and avoid them in your interviews.
Interview Planning
Pre-interview preparation that turns case facts into a targeted, ethical questioning plan.
Suspect, Witness, Victim
One coherent method that adapts to every interview type a detective or investigator will run.
Federal & OIG Use
Adopted across federal investigative agencies, OIGs, and military investigative organizations.
Your Path to the Criminal Level I Certificate
Register a Team or Individual
Open enrollment, hosted seminars, or private classes for departments and federal agencies.
Attend the Live Seminar
Three days of instruction, case-video review, and applied practice with WZ Certified Forensic Interviewers.
Earn Your Certificate
Receive the Criminal Level I certificate of attendance — eligible for CEU credit in many jurisdictions.
Apply on Active Cases
Use the WZ method on suspect, witness, and victim interviews across patrol, investigations, and task forces.
Advance to Level II or CFI
Continue with advanced criminal application workshops or pursue the CFI credential through IAI.
Programs for Sworn Investigators
The Criminal Level I certificate is one of several WZ programs for law enforcement. Pick the one that fits your unit, your caseload, and your jurisdiction.
Criminal Level I — Investigative Interviewing Techniques
Ethical, evidence-based investigative interviewing for sworn investigators and detectives.
View Course Details
Criminal Level II — Advanced Application
Run live, instructor-critiqued criminal interview scenarios on case types you handle daily.
View Course Details
Lessons Learned from False Confessions
Identify the contexts that produce unreliable statements and design interviews that avoid them.
View Course Details Federal & Inspector General Applications
Apply the WZ criminal interview method to federal investigative, OIG, and compliance contexts.
View Course DetailsTrained Across Federal, State & Local Agencies
Testimonials
“The WZ criminal Level I program changed the way our unit interviews. Reliable information, fewer recantations, cleaner write-ups.”
“A non-confrontational method that still gets to the truth — and stands up in court. That is the bar, and WZ clears it.”
“Our federal team picked up WZ Level I because of how cleanly it integrates with our existing interview protocols and case-law guidance.”
Ready to Bring WZ to Your Agency?
Talk to WZ about hosting the Criminal Level I seminar for your department, task force, or federal investigative team.