...would you want to be the "catching detective" if something happened to someone close to you?

I'd take Frank Pendleton from "Homicide: Life on the Street". What say you?

Jessica Fletcher, I reckon. I believe she's been known to make cookies, has a pretty cool-looking bike AND my hunch is she can whip up a mean chowder in seconds flat. Of course it wouldn't hurt either that, if the sleuthing got too boring and technical, she could break into a few pages of "Sweeney Todd" to liven things up ...

Both excellent choices indeed.

I think I might call Bobby Goren. Maybe a little anti-social, but he'd get the job done. After all, the man knows that the Mongolian Donglehipper plant only blooms on February 30th every 8 1/2 years, and that Pillingnemermanheim's 23rd symphony is actually in C flat minor sharp diminished. And that the answer is 42.
He'd figure it out, no worries.

I might call David Addison and Maddie Hayes. Even if things weren't looking very good in the courtroom, at least I'd have the comic relief I needed in hearing them alternately flirt and bicker, in between taking the witness stand.

Jim Rockford is another fine choice. Humble and eccentric, I could trust him to do what was needed, and wouldn't get any flashy excuses. He would never try to convince me of anything except the truth - good or bad.

The Charlies Angles gals.

I would have to say Taggart, and Columbo... lol
Krissy

Van der Valk (Barry Foster, woohoo!!) I liked the music too.
But seriously , it would have to be Morse . I knew John Thaw personally and I cannot watch any episode without a tear.

First choice would be Morse, and after that Jack Frost. Neither of them give up.

I would have to agree with romeomikegolf. Maybe Jane Tennison as well she never gave up!

Columbo or Quincy would be my choices. Quincy was actually a M.E. but he would have made a darn good police detective!

I'd have (not suprisingly!) Jane Marple or Hercule Poirot! If not them two, Jack Frost - he is usually a good detective

Thomas Magnum, PI. Unconventional, but pretty darn effective!

Steve Austin and Jaime Sommers! They were intelligence operatives, but could crack any case they were sent on.

'Columbo' when I was younger and now 'Monk' would be my favourite.

Andy Sipowicz (NYPD Blue)

I would call Monk. He may have his problems, but he sure knows how to pick up unseen clues.

Got to agree with callie ross. It's Columbo. Watch the re-runs every weekend on the Hallmark Channel.

I would go with either Jim Brass from CSI, Lt. Provenza from The Closer (or anyone from that show, although Provenza's my first choice) or Fin Tutuola from Law & Order: SVU.

Pepper Anderson. Only so I can tell my favourite joke as a kid. A guy got arrested for assaultin pepper.

I would want Andy Sipowicz and Monk. They wouldn't get along with each other but they would get the job done.

Mine are the detectives from English mysteries Morse being my favorite. I also like Lord Linley and P.D. James' Inspector Dagleisch.

Lester Freeman and Bunk Moreland from 'The Wire'.

I'd have to go with either Det Robert Goran (from Law & Order Criminal Intent) or Columbo.

I like the knowledge base that Bobby
Goren has, and Columbo is just sooooo irritating to those being investigated - "Just one more question, sir ..."

I think if you put them both together, the guilty party would put their hands up to avoid the pain of the investigation!

Does Dr. Who count as a detective?

I think Jessica Fletcher would do a fine job, but I wouldn't want to hang out around her too much. It was always a bit odd that EVERYWHERE she went, someone was murdered!