Review
Security Management Magazine

"Secrets of Top Private Eyes," How to Become a Private Investigator Reviewer: Johnny May, CPP, CPO (Certified Protection Officer). http://www.securitymanagement.com/ Johnny May is a member of the ASIS Standing Committee on Academic Programs. Secrets of Top Private Investigators, by Joe Hoover and Anni Adkins.

The best investigators are like the best practitioners in any other profession. They not only have mastered the fundamentals of their craft, but they also have developed their unique strengths and talents, which enable them to improve on these fundamentals. Basic training manuals are, in other words, only the first step for those who want to excel, but they can be an important first step.

This manual and tape set helps investigators move toward their goal. Beyond setting out the nuts and bolts of private investigation, it is loaded with insider tips, strategies, and resources. Four hours of videotape provide up-close, unrehearsed interviews with some of the top investigators in the United States. Filmed on location in their own work environments, the experts explain the many strategies and techniques that they and other top investigators use.

The manual is divided into six well-organized, easy-to-read sections, covering everything from finding sources of information to learning to succeed as a private investigator. Also included are numerous samples of investigative forms, mail and Web addresses, and phone numbers of some of the best resources available. Licensing requirements and public records information are presented for all fifty states.

An unparalleled reference, this set is highly recommended for in-house investigators and for private firms responsible for training new investigators. It is also valuable for professors teaching courses on investigations or careers in criminal justice.

Reviewer: Johnny R. May, CPP, CPO (Certified Protection Officer), coordinates the Security & Private Investigation degree program at Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn, Michigan. He is a member
of the ASIS Standing Committee on Academic Programs.