This has been my experience with the detective career.
I started a Sim in the Detective career. Things went fine until they issued their second APB. They got to the crime scene, and there was no one matching the description in their notebook. They wasted an entire day waiting for the suspect to show up. After two or three days of this - going to a crime scene but not finding a suspect - I got frustrated and had the Sim arrest anyone that vaguely matched the description. They made so many false arrests that their career started slipping. After five or six days of waiting for the suspect to show up, I had the Sim quit the career and find another job.
Now, I'm trying again with a second Sim in the Detective career. They've issued their first APB. They got to the crime scene, and there's someone matching the description perfectly. The Sim made an arrest, and the suspect gave themselves up. My Sim returned to the Police Station, but can't interrogate anyone because, according to the game, they haven't arrested anyone. Suddenly, there's the suspect, walking around the Police Station. My Sim can't book them, because it's the Police Chief! Now, on the second day, at a different crime scene, there's the suspect again and, again, it's the Police Chief. My second Sim in the Detective career is once again stuck - they can make an arrest, but can't interrogate or book the suspect.
Is the Detective career just that buggy?