What type of individual becomes an effective private investigator? The operative word is effective. Some are full time investigators and others are contractors. They all must work in most states under license, either theirs or their employers. Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami FL present what is required to be a private investigator to help you know what to expect if you are considering this field of employment or hiring a private investigator to find answers you seek.
What Makes a Good Private Investigator?
• Undercover – private investigators perform undercover operations to expose theft and fraud.
• Surveillance – performed to catch an unfaithful spouse, employee theft etc.
• Write up – all investigations must be documented by written reports so they have to write reports covering their activities and findings, much like a public law enforcement detective must.
• Witnesses – a lot evidence presented in court and what drives the investigation is oral evidence obtained through the interview process.
• Researching – background checks and due diligence investigation require extensive research skills and data mining expertise.
Many investigators are specialists.
• Electronic forensics – this covers both computer and cell phone forensics, with a lot of data and evidence coming from sell phones and devices like iPods and tablets.
• Personal protection services. Many require a ‘body guard’, particularly celebrities, politicians and business executives.
• Undercover Operators – it takes a special personality to conduct undercover operations. The worry of discovery among other social concerns are always there. Pressure can be intense.
• Backgrounds – employer screenings, supplier and vendors are also subject to screening.
• Crisis intervention is another avenue of expertise along with risk management experience.
• Retail loss prevention – both customer shoplifting and employee theft which can exceed shoplifting losses.
• Criminal investigations are conducted, with fraud and theft being the primary. In some homicides or robbery situations the defense will hire an investigator to disprove or corroborate police investigations. This is difficult as many private investigators have prior local or federal law enforcement experience.
• Polygraph operators in private service are also licensed or work for a licensed private investigator.
• Missing persons. The volume and turnover rate for runaway juveniles and missing adult is staggering. Unless there are articulable facts and circumstances indicative of foul play, there is a 24-48-hour waiting period for missing adults. Most return home, but another factor is that as an adult, which is anyone over 18 years of age, they have the right to go and come as they desire. Most children are runaways and are located also within 72 hours. By the time the report reaches the investigator it usually is accompanied by the cancellation. Children under twelve are considered missing and most jurisdiction will investigate. The problem in the public sector is volume and lack of personnel available for investigations. At any moment in the US there are over 100,000 missing persons. Nationwide over 460,000 kids are reported every year. Missing persons is one area that private investigators can contribute to the solving of the case. The private investigator is hired and for those hours charged have only one case to investigate, yours.
Types of Private Investigator Specialties
There are those that specialize in particular types of investigations. A large firm will have specialists.
• Civil investigation a “you said he said” events. Many will hire a private investigator and a third party to obtain the facts. Many civil investigations involve unfaithful spouse investigations.
• Criminal investigations are the stuff of legends. Sam Spade and others will forever be linked with PI investigations of criminal matters. Most though involve theft and fraud. Fraud investigations generally demand special skills and experience. It is not the who in fraud, but how was the crime perpetrated.
• Criminology and behavioral sciences.
• Terrorism and intelligence. Many international firms are concerned with the security of personnel and facilities in foreign states where there are documented terrorist groups operating. Intelligence on the private level is obtained for security planning.
• Investigative business administration, including financial and forensic accounting. Mission is to undercover and prevent fraud, sometimes by the companies own executives.
• Investigative law and ethics, sometimes the PI as to look at other PI’s to determine ethics violations and keep up with investigative law across jurisdictions. Neighboring states can have divergent regulatory policies and procedures.
• The rising incidents of nursing home violations and incidents of child abuse and exploitation has led to the employment of specialists with medical experience and backgrounds to conduct these investigations.
• Security – most private investigation firms also offer security services.
• Electronics forensics demand extensive training and expertise, with more devices becoming subject to retrieval of electronically recorded data.
• Insurance fraud is one of those areas of investigation requiring experience in the insurance industry to be able to conduct effective fraud investigation, and a specialty of many firms or individual investigators. Some have engineering backgrounds and specialize in industrial accidents representing insurance firms.
Private Investigator & Security Services in Greater Miami, Sunny Isles, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Weston, Plantation City & Miami Gardens Florida
As can be determined, private investigators have an array of specialized experience, expertise and skills. You will find that many investigators have previous law enforcement or military backgrounds. They are hired to provide a service. Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami FL can handle all your private investigator and security needs. Contact us today!
