How to Spot a Trustworthy Private Investigator

There may come a time when you need to hire a private investigator. Perhaps you are attempting to locate someone, or you want to find out if your spouse is cheating on you. Maybe you just want to run a background check on a new employee or household worker. Whatever the reason, you need to know how to choose a qualified and trustworthy private investigator. The following are a few important things to ask yourself when doing your research.

Is the private investigator licensed?

You should first research what the requirements are for your state. Requirements differ greatly from one state to another. In fact, there are seven states that have no requirements for licensing at all. In the state of California, where we operate, the standards are high, and they include a stringent examination that must be passed.

Do they have a background in law enforcement?

In the past many private investigators had law enforcement backgrounds. These days better investigative firms do a high percentage of their work for attorneys and law firms and therefore are always aware of the laws that must be followed. For surveillance agent a law enforcement background can be helpful as is being tech savvy, and keeping up with the latest investigation techniques is very important.

What type of experience do they have?

Obtaining information from interviews and the observation of people are skills that take time to develop. Understanding human behavior and how best to gather pertinent information is something that comes from experience or from working under the tutelage of an older private investigator. There is only so much that can be learned from books, videos and classroom instruction.

Do they work out of an office?

This should be obvious, but because private investigators are often seen in television shows as working out of their car, it should be pointed out that this is a business. A professional investigator will have an office that he works out of and will also have an office staff. Just like any other business, you can call the office and speak to a real person who has the knowledge to answer your questions.

Can they can furnish references?

A private investigation firm that has been in operation for many years will have built up a good reputation during this time. They will have many references that they will be more than happy to provide you. These references will not only be from individual clients, but also legal firms and businesses.
The items listed above are very important to ask when evaluating a private investigation company. In addition, you should always feel comfortable with the investigator you choose and should feel free to ask them any questions you may have about their work. We more than welcome anyone to contact our firm. Call us today; we will listen to your situation and tell you best how we can help.