The Background Of The Private Investigator
What type of education should a private investigator have?
As far as education, it's not necessary to get a criminal justice degree but you should get computer skills, basically searching databases. In terms of the companies that provide that data, you have Choice Point, you have Merlin Data Services, you have a lot of individual different companies, you have the three credit bureaus, and DMV. All of these will provide seminars on how to use their products and how to search their databases. In addition, for specific skills in a specific area of investigation in California, we have the California Association of Licensed Investigators, and there's a National Association and a World Association of Investigators, WAD. Then there's IAN, Investigative Associates. There are a lot of private investigator associations that put on seminars, and you can contact those and sign up and attend a seminar or conventions. The other thing is going to the conventions because you'll meet other investigators and share information and techniques. Investigators like to talk about cases that they've worked on, and how they solved this particular one or that particular one. That's how you learn, just by listening to other people.
Is there a pre-requisite to be a private investigator?
You don't even have to have a high school diploma to be a private investigator. You do have to have the intelligence to master the skills necessary. But, generally most states don't require any degree level qualification. There are some exceptions, in Virginia, you have to have a degree in criminal justice to become a private eye. I believe in Delaware, you can only be a private investigator if you were an ex cop. So, different states have different regulations to what kind of education is required, but most states don't require any specific education, but they require you to take the test and pass it. Tip: If you're thinking about becoming a private investigator, check your local state requirements first.
Do I need to be in good physical shape to be a private investigator?
If you look at the old TV series "Cannon", that guy weighed about 350 pounds and sat behind the desk all of the time and was still a successful investigator. I can relate to him. I have spent most of the last 20 years behind this desk, and you didn't have to be in any kind of physical shape at all to do what I do. I could be a quadriplegic as long as my brain was functioning, because you can delegate what you need as far as fieldwork is concerned. When you need somebody to go do something, like some work for you that requires physical agility, you can get somebody else to do that. It's not a requirement.
What types of characteristics should the ideal private investigator have?
Besides having an analytical mind, they have to have an open mind. They must not form an opinion in advance about what this case is all about and they must ensure an open mind as to where it might be going. You're not always going to prove your clients' point. In the case of insurance investigations, the insurance companies make it very, very clear. They're not out to catch the guy, but they're out to find out what the truth is. If it turns out that their guys' claim is legitimate, they want to know that, because either way they save money. If it turns out that this guy really has a back injury and can't work, they don't spend a fortune defending the case in court. Now they switch to the mode of coming to a settlement and ultimately spend less money. If it turns out he is a crook, then they go after him because it deters other people from trying to do the same thing. So either way they're ahead of the game, but the main goal is to find out the truth and that's what a private investigator has to do. He has to keep an open mind so that he can find out the truth.
What is the code of ethics for a private investigator?
One of the biggest things as far as a code of ethics is that you make sure that the case that you're taking on is for a legitimate purpose, that this person that's hiring you has a valid reason for wanting to look into somebody's background, that it's not just their idle curiosity and they want to know. They want to find something out. There are guys out there that will do anything for money. But, for the most part, most private investigators don't do that and there are a couple of reasons for that. One is that if we don't regulate our self, the government will step in and do it for us. So far, that hasn't happened, but eventually people screw up. They'll come in and say, "OK, here are going to be the rules and you'll have to go by them." So we make our own rules and we try to do the right thing by making sure that what we're doing is for legitimate purpose and it's to uphold a really specific law or position that's a legitimate position. The other thing is to gather evidence in a way that's not only ethical, but is legal so that it can be introduced in court. And the biggest rule is to say, is to use the Golden Rule. Would I want somebody being able to look into my life and if they were able to do that, what rules would they have to go by? And, if you keep on that line, then you'll have a good set of ethics.
