When you are in need of an undercover investigator, you only want the best working for you. There are certain characteristics an effective private investigator possesses. They need to have the experience, skills and knowledge to track down the information you have been unable to find for yourself. At Stidham Reconstruction and Investigation, we have +60 years of combines law enforcement and investigative experience to help you find what you are looking for. The traits below are what you should seek out when hiring a private investigator no matter what your needs are.
Good People Skills
An undercover investigator must have good social skills and be able to relate to and work with a wide variety of people. This is important because so much of the work that needs to be done is in the field. Observation is important, but the ability to talk to people in a way that extracts important information without an individual feeling they are being interrogated is essential to success.
These skills become very important when locating an individual or attempting to observe a particular behavior they are suspected of engaging in. Many of these skills come with experience that accumulates over time, so it is usually in your best interest to hire a more experienced investigator whenever possible.
A Background in Law or Law Enforcement
Understanding the legal process is vital to success in this field of work. Therefore, the most successful private investigators have knowledge or a background in law and law enforcement. Most of our investigators at SRI are ex-law enforcement professionals and have firsthand knowledge of the law.
Knowing what is legal and what is illegal during the course of an investigation avoids complicated legal issues after the process is completed, and in many situations, it can mean the difference between success and failure. The most effective investigators work closely with attorneys and law firms to find people and uncover evidence to help build the legal defense of an attorney’s client or their civil suits.
Using the Latest Technology
Many traits found in an effective undercover investigator are as important today as they were 50 years ago, but the ability to effectively leverage today’s electronic technology is equally important. In fact, they complement each other. In some cases, the only way to prove something is to have it on video.
There is no better example of this than with insurance fraud. When an insurance company hires a private investigator to go undercover and determine if they are paying out money to someone committing fraud, it is often through the use of video footage that they are able to provide evidence of fraud. An individual may claim to be bedridden with back problems only to be caught on video engaged in strenuous activity.
The Ability to be Discreet
Above all, an undercover investigator should never make his or her presence obvious. The ability to move among people to get information or observe them discreetly is fundamental to all aspects of an undercover investigation.
When you decide to hire a private investigator, it is important to take your time and make sure they have all of the traits needed for your investigation to be as successful as possible. That is what you’ll find when you hire an investigator with us. Our track record can provide you with the assurance that we possess both the experience and skills necessary to obtain the results you are looking for.
We are here to help.
I appreciate that you explained that it would be best to hire those with a legal background since we will have peace of mind that they will not do something against the law. I will definitely share this with my sister to help her hire the right one. She needs to get her shop investigated because the daily earnings of her business has gone down, but she noticed that the customers never went downhill.
I like that you state that a good investigator should have a history in law enforcement. My sister is planning on hiring an investigator service to find out if her husband is being unfaithful, so I am helping her look into it. I will pass this information on to her, and add it to the list of requirements we are looking for.
I like that you suggest hiring a PI that has a history in law enforcement. My brother was adopted, and wants to find his birth parents, so I have been looking into what it would take to hire a private investigator to help find them. I will send this information over to him, so we can look at all our options.
My cousin is really worried about what her husband is doing at night so she needs to find a good PI. I think it’s a great idea to try and find someone that uses modern technology in their jobs. That way, instead of guessing what they are doing, they have the technology to know for sure.