CrimeCon 2026

Law&Crime presents the 4th annual America’s Greatest Detective Award, a title awarded annually at the CrimeCon CLUE Awards to recognize the most complex investigative work done by teams or individuals working in or adjacent to law enforcement.

The role of a detective requires grit—but for women in a male-dominated field, it also demands a profound level of intentionality. In this session, this year’s official AGD nominees—an elite group of four detectives—offer an inside look at the cases, challenges, and realities behind their work.

They represent a new era where solving the case is only one part of the mission. These nominees are actively rewriting the rules of the industry by fostering collaborative environments where women work together to crack codes and solve crimes. From the tactical strategies used to break through institutional barriers to the essential work of helping female officers manage the high-stakes stress of the force, this conversation explores how these leaders use their success as a platform to teach, protect, and empower the next generation of female investigators.