Crossword Genius

Detectives essentially separate (8)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

disperse

'separate' is the definition.
(dispersing is a kind of separating)

'detectives essentially' is the wordplay.
'detectives' becomes 'dis' (Detective Inspectors, DIs).
'essentially' becomes 'per se' (I've seen this in another clue).
'dis'+'perse'='DISPERSE'

(Other definitions for disperse that I've seen before include "Scatter or disband" , "Broadcast" , "Cause to separate and go in different directions" , "Break up, move away from each other" , "Scatter, dispel" .)

I've seen this clue in The Telegraph.
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