How to
Become a Private Investigator: Career Advice IIMany people are of the opinion that most PI's are former police officers
or government law enforcement agents. The fact is, the majority of Professional
Investigators have little or no training or experience in those fields. Almost anyone, man
or woman, no matter his or her age, background or experience (with the exception of
convicted felons, of course) can become a Professional Investigator.Q. Is a police
background essential?
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"A lot of people think you
need to have some kind of law enforcement background to be a Private Investigator. Not
true at all. Our business is comprised of people who are streetwise and able to go out and
get the information. You've got to be a go-getter. Nothing to do with police work, or
police techniques. Being a PI is gaining information and knowledge. We go to a lot of
seminars and read a lot of articles. But, when it comes to 'formal' schooling, there's no
formal. I think even if you went to the John Jay School of Criminal Justice they
could not get you ready for doing investigations." - Peter Crummy |
PrivateInvestigation Training
Many states require Professional Investigators to serve an apprenticeship or internship with an established,
licensed PI or with an investigative firm. Several Professional Investigator schools exist
that offer entry-level schooling and training that may or may not enhance on-the-job
training and the time-given acquisition of basic skills.Q. What if I
have no special training?
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"Having a background as a truck driver can be very sensible experience for
the investigative business. Say you're doing an undercover job for a
trucking firm. The man's been a trucker: that could be very
essential. A man comes to me and he says 'I've worked 20
different jobs in my life.' I ask him to tell me about each
and every job he's ever worked - what he did for a living. That man
is going to be vital to me if I need to put him on the job. I might
need someone to pose as a real estate agent. We employ pretexts all
day long in the investigative business." - Bob Brown |
Private Investigator Licensing
Most states require PI's to be licensed. Some states have no licensing requirements whatsoever.
Requirements vary widely. Ask your state department of professional regulation for
up-to-date information. Some counties and cities also require special licensing. You
should visit occupational licensing departments, which are usually located in courthouses. See
State Licensing Information for Private
Investigators
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"Every state is different. Go to your local law library and obtain a copy of the statute that regulates agencies.
Call the Division of Licensing in your state capital and ask them what chapter pertains to investigative agencies." -
Mike Askew |
Q. Each state has a different set of rules governing the licensing of Private Investigators.
What are Virginia's requirements, for example?
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"I teach a sixty-hour course and about twenty hours of that course involves the study of rules and regulations
for PI's in Virginia. We have rules and regulations governing PI's because the state wants
to make sure if a person goes out and practices the investigative profession, he or she is
fully aware of responsibilities. The remaining forty hours of the course are devoted to
such things as surveillance. The students actually go out on field exercises and do
surveillance. They do photography work and report writing. Several hours are
dedicated to appearing in court." - Linnea Sinclair |
Specializing as a Private Investigator
Earning the credentials to do business as a Professional Investigator can be a very rewarding and fulfilling
accomplishment, both personally and financially. PI's often work alongside law
enforcement officers, attorneys, and business leaders. Private and public
organizations, insurance companies, and banking institutions call upon PI's to perform
important investigative work, such as surveillance: tailing, stakeouts, videography, still
photography, and audio recording.
Also:
- Detection of listening devices and cameras (bug sweeping)
- Undercover and covert operations
- Corporate espionage and competitive intelligence
- Background: conduct, habits, credibility, character & reputation
- Relationship, marital,and custody investigations
- Skip tracing
- Locating missing heirs and witnesses
- Conducting injury or wrongful death investigations
- Investigating accidents, fires, damage to property
- Locating assets, stolen property
- Providing patrol, guard, and bodyguard services
- Gathering evidence for civil and criminal proceedings
- Serving legal papers
- Investigating employee theft, loss prevention, narcotic & alcohol abuse
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"Some of the most recent trends are in on-line searching, pre-marital investigations, worker's compensation, and
claims for insurance companies. Locating missing persons, of course, has always been
a mainstay in the private investigative profession. Financial investigations is a
field that needs a large number of investigators. brokerage firms, banks, lawyers -
even private individuals - require this service. It could bring big dollars in for
the right investigator." - Roger Gibson |
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"Product liability is one high-paying investigative specialty. In many instances, the request is for someone to find
a defect in a vehicle or conveyance - be it a car, motorcycle, or bicycle. We've handled
cases from helmets to mechanical chairs." - Mike Askew |
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"Computer fraud. There has been a dramatic increase in this type of investigation, and someone
capable of handling it would certainly be in a good position to earn many dollars. It's a
specialty area that requires a good knowledge of computers." - Nick Beltrante
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The Private Investigator's Arena
The investigative and security industries are big and getting bigger. Each year new high-tech
clients vie for the services of experienced PI's who understand the diverse technologies
and possess the up-to-the- minute skills required to meet those particular
demands. Following are just a few of the industries that contract with and hire
Professional Investigators.
Retail Investigations
More than fifty percent (50%) of employees steal from their employers. Shoplifters
abound. Security personnel and Professional Investigators work undercover to prevent
theft and revenue loss.
Attorneys
Attorneys depend on PI's to investigate many situations. PI's assist attorneys in cases ranging from
relationship and child custody disputes to corporate espionage to product liability
litigation to wrongful death and personal injury.
Insurance
Investigations
PI's earn more from the insurance industry than from any other single industry. PI's
investigate and prove suspicious and fraudulent claims for insurers, investigate false
injury claims and other fraud, perform background and assets checks. Some insurance
investigators provide skip tracing services: the more hits, the more lucrative the
tracer's earnings.
Computer Crime
As computers become more and more a part of our daily lives, the crooks become wiser in ways
to use them to commit crimes. This area of investigative endeavor promises to pay
handsome rewards to those well-versed in the computer sciences.
Industrial Espionage Investigations
A prosperous company hires a high-paid expert to work on a problem concerning an important
component in one of its major systems. Two years later, that same expert (the expert
that management thought would produce the magic solution from his hi-tech bag of tricks)
has quit the team and departed for a better life with a major competitor. And he's
taken the company secrets with him.
To prevent this and other costly corporate espionage, firms hire PI's to weed out spies and wrong
doers. Experience and knowledge of the inner workings of corporations and businesses are
prerequisite training for this type of assignment.
Professional Investigators Associations
Beyond the organizations and associations that function at the local and state level in your area,
there are several national professional associations you might consider joining. By
aligning yourself with these groups, you will benefit from the educational, networking and
business opportunities each affords. PI's who begin networking from the beginning of their
career enjoy the greatest success. Attend association meetings and functions. You'll
increase your knowledge of the industry as a whole and broaden your base of contacts.
How to Become a Private Investigator: Career Advice -
Part 1
Secrets of Top Private Eyes ~ Twelve of the nation's top investigative experts expound about
the investigative industry as a whole, explain networking and how to go
about connecting with the best viable information sources. These
interesting and successful Private Eyes enjoy telling about the plying
of their craft and their day to day activities. Here is living proof
this unique and lucrative industry is wide-open and offers many, many
opportunities. If you are serious about becoming a Private Investigator, or want
to know more about the investigative industry as a whole, take the
first step toward actualizing your ambitions: purchase and study
Secrets of Top Private Eyes, the
complete course (see below). You owe it to yourself to investigate
each and every aspect of any trade, craft, or business you have an
interest in - before making a career commitment.
Secrets of Top Private Eyes
- Private Investigator Training Course, the how-to teaching manual and
videotape set, have been in extensive use nationwide since 1993 as a
training course for new investigators. The course has been continually
revised and updated until the present. None have been returned.
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