Alumni Spotlight: Amanda Krinke

Amanda Krinke (she/her)

Major: PSY BA (Fall 2022)
Position: Investigative Analyst
Employer: Roseville Police Department

What is your work like? What are your duties?

The easy answer is that I do what Penelope Garcia does in "Criminal Minds." I am a civilian investigator in our department. I manage the digital media evidence, I am a member of our crime scene unit, conduct cell phone extractions, and assist investigations with Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools and other criminal justice information databases. I also run statistics for our department's administration on occasion for various meetings.

How would you say your psychology degree has helped you with your current job?

My psychology degree has been essential in helping me perform in my current role. I interact with a wide variety of people, and having the skillset and knowledge to conceptualize a person holistically is vital. Through my liberal arts psychology education, I gained knowledge in how humans interact, how best to connect with others, motivators and dissuaders, and how to predict behaviors/cognitions/emotions in others, which is huge in a criminal justice setting.

My undergrad at UMN also lit the fire for forensic psychology, a field I am currently studying as an MA forensic psychology student at the University of North Dakota. 

In what way has your major complemented your current job?

My psychology degree is the perfect complement to my job as an Investigative Analyst. People are my passion. Understanding them (and myself) has led me to be more empathetic, focused, and accurate in my daily work. I am grateful for the life context my degree has given me. 

How did you find your current position? 

I searched on Governmentjobs.gov for internships and found an internship with the Roseville Police Department. I worked directly with their Analyst, who then took a position with the District Attorney's office. When she left, I applied for her role. The connections I made through LinkedIn, in the field, and with my peers were monumental in securing the role I currently hold. 

What advice do you have for our current psych students and recent grads?

Get as much experience in the field as you can. Getting those internships, doing job shadows, and networking online and in-person will take you where you want to go. Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself; it's the quickest path to being able to advocate for others. 

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