Who is a Private Investigator and How to Hire a Licensed P.I. in California

When you're looking for a P.I. do you really know whom you're dealing with? Some simple knowledge may aid you and rid you of any pains and increase your peace of mind….

First of all, who is a Private Investigator and what do they do exactly? They are persons who have a special knowledge and educational background in the processes of one or several types of investigations, applicable regulatory laws, and what it entails to carry out their functions. Private Investigators come from a variety of backgrounds. In my experience they are generally folks that have a sincere interest of seeking out the truth and a want for uncovering the facts of events or possibly entities. Private Investigators in the state of California are required to be licensed, and we'll touch on that later. They are not peace officers and have no powers of arrest other than that of a common citizen. However, some do carry firearms if they are qualified to do so. Private Investigators locate missing persons, search for assets, provide criminal defense investigative work to indigent parties prior to or during their trials, they provide background investigations of persons and or businesses, upon occasion a Private Investigator provides protection for people in need pursuant to an ongoing investigation, they conduct investigations into claims of fraud by victims, they have a special exemption allowing them to provide service of process without registration in their given county, court testimony is often a daily function, and the list goes on and on. There are some Investigators out there that specialize in surveillance or undercover work. Incidentally, in the state of California to be a "Bounty Hunter" one of the many requirements is to already be a licensed Private Investigator. Private Investigators are not Attorneys and cannot give legal advice nor can they promote "ambulance chasing." They can and will coordinate efforts with your existing Attorney if one is retained in a legal matter. Most Private Investigators have one or more areas of specialty and have devoted their agency to that line of work. Most if not all belong to professional associations, and continually increase their knowledge through ongoing training.

In the state of California all Private Investigators are required to maintain an active license to conduct investigations. Operating without a license is a criminal offense. The license is renewed every two (2) years. The licensing agency is the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Security and Investigative Services. All Private Investigator's licenses can be verified for appropriate credentialing and any violations or complaints are disclosed via the bureau's web page at: www.dca.ca.gov/bsis. There are several ways a person can qualify to become a P.I. One could have been a Peace Officer for one (1) year. They could have been a full time Insurance Claims Adjuster for 6000 hours within 2 years. If one has earned at least a two-year college degree in Criminology, Administration of Justice, or a like subject they will qualify. Another manner of qualification is to attend and graduate from a detective training institute then accumulate a minimum of 6000 hours working as an Intern/Apprentice under a more experienced, and licensed, Private Investigator.

When I speak of qualifications I mean just that. Just because an applicant meets the qualifications doesn't mean that they are automatically entitled to obtain a license. Once an applicant has the required prerequisites an application to the state of California must be made. Then if the application is accepted the applicant must then pass a thorough background investigation including fingerprinting, criminal, and professional reference checks. Several licensing fees are paid. Upon completion of all of this the applicant must then pass an extensive examination geared to weed out those who have not sincerely dedicated themselves to the profession. Several topics are on the examination including professional ethics, privacy rights, and investigative expertise. Each licensee is issued a wall certificate (to be hung in their principal place of business), a wallet license, and a picture identification card issued by the state of California.

Now that we know who they are and what their credentialing is let us take a look at how to find a good Private Investigator to work with….

Have you ever seen a Private Investigator or private investigation agency advertised on television? Probably not! The reason being is because like most carpenters, lawyers, or photographers a Private Investigator is marketed based upon his or her reputation. You may find that the P.I. you're potentially dealing with has a great company web site or no web site at all listed on the Internet. Some Agencies have absolutely beautiful web sites! You may run across a marketing pamphlet someplace. Certainly you'll get your hands on a business card. You may read press releases in the newspaper or on the Internet about the particular Investigator. P.I.'s are sometimes in the phone book's yellow pages. Their contact information as well as their investigative specialty(s) may be listed on a professional association's web page or by calling the association for a referral. However, the most common way to locate a P.I. is still by word of mouth referral.

As well, some Private Investigators prefer to remain anonymous. There may be little or no trace of any specific person holding a Private Investigators license other than the public records on file with the state of California. Like the stigma given in the movies and on television you will meet them in a crowded public place and they will not appear to be anything like you thought. There are those that appropriately maintain that mode of operation.

However, no one technique of marketing insures competency. It may certainly indicate an aptitude for business, but is that required? Honestly, only to a small degree. Being that I, the author, am a licensed Private Investigator, if I were in need of a P.I.'s services I would look at the task to be undertaken. What type of investigation are you in need of? What is it you need to be investigated and why? You see, every investigation is not created equal. Each type of investigation has its own flavor and smell. There's a taste that some types of investigations have that are all their own. And, each individual client has different needs. For instance a background investigation of a potential employee will be strictly in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws regulating investigative consumer credit reporting, and only one person will be investigated. On the other hand, during the course of, let's say, an arson investigation the Private Investigator may or may not simultaneously complete investigations into the background of several people that are potentially acting in concert to commit a crime.

Does the Private Investigator have the education and background it takes to get the job done? If you contact a P.I. and he states he's never tracked down a "deadbeat dad" before, and that's what you need him to do…then move on. Likewise, if the Private Investigator has obtained a college degree in criminology, was a Peace Officer for a number of years, and belongs to a criminal defense investigators association-then he or she is probably who I would entrust with the task of investigating a crime in which I am currently charged pending trial.

Also, it is of my opinion that you get what you pay for. Some P.I.'s charge flat rates for their services, and other charge by the billable hour. There are those whose fees rival that of top class prominent Attorneys, and there are those that seem to be a great deal for the client. If the Private Investigator has the education, background, and experience then they may very well be worth every bit of the hard earned nickel spent.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, and even go so far as to ask what the potential process of the investigation will be. But, please remember this: No two investigations are identical and the process is flexible, so a definitive answer may not be forthcoming. Ask what their education and experience is? Ask if the Private Investigator works alone or is assisted. How long have they been in business? What do they do that is different from their peers? Do they have a particular view on the investigation that sets them apart or allows them to surpass the potential work of their peers?

Listen to the Private Investigator's responses! If you plan to retain a Private Investigator to look into some form of white-collar crime wherein your corporation is the victim, and the P.I. says that he doesn't know anything about the Sarbanes-Oxley Act you should run for the hills! If you are asking him or her to investigate the theft of your identity and the Private Investigator doesn't articulate or point out that in the state of California Penal Code section 530.6 enables a California resident who believes they have been victimized by financial fraud or identity theft to request a police report-regardless of whether the crime was committed in the victim's location or someplace else in the country, then you probably don't want them working for you.

At the end of the day, you need the peace of mind of knowing that your requests are being met and that your funds are being paid to a Private Investigator that is licensed, competent, professional, and motivated to provide you with the expertise you deserve.