How To Become a Private Investigator

This week I am going to look at a question I am often asked, which is ‘How can I become a Private Investigator?’

Well, in the past it was an unregulated industry and most people came to it after a career in the police or in the services. Some were lucky enough to get a job where they could learn the ropes from an established investigator, while others read a book or an instruction manual and then set up in business.

As you can imagine there were competent professional investigators and not a few cowboys out there as well!

As I am sure you would want to do it right, so I suggest that you take some training and then join one of the trade bodies.

At present the private investigation industry is on the edge of being regulated. In a few years all investigators will have to be licensed, which will mean proving that they are competent and that they have a clean record. I am all in favour of this. http://www.the-sia.org.uk/home

I am not here to steer you in any particular direction, but I will tell you what I did. I took a Foundation Course run by the Institute of Professional Investigators (IPI) http://www.ipi.org.uk/. I followed that with further courses in Tracing and then Casework Management. I chose to join the IPI. I also did a distance learning course with the Academy of Private Investigation. http://www.becomeadetective.com/

Some providers are offering more formal courses that end up with a recognisable qualification at the end of them. This is way it will go in time.

I read all the books I could find on the subject of tracing people. I chose to join the Society of Genealogists to learn more about the sources of information required to delve into the past. http://www.sog.org.uk/

I decided to join the Association of British Investigators (ABI) and I have felt very much at home there. They are a good source of information on how to carry on their trade. http://www.theabi.org.uk/

I also joined several closed groups on the internet that are used by investigators to pass on knowledge and to pass on work.

I am continuing my education by attending further training on the Data Protection Act and other legislation affecting our work. I keep updated on tracing techniques as well.

It should be pointed out that I operate on the fringes of a private investigators usual work. I only trace missing family and friends. They may do that, but they also carry out surveillance, interview suspects and witnesses, serve process, do debt collection and enforcement work, carry out employment checks, background checks, carry out road traffic accident reports, investigate fraud and crime within industry, advise on security, sweep for bugs and so on.

As can be imagined many investigators end up as specialists in one area, like myself I suppose. However there are many investigators who will try their hand at anything. Employers of investigators will be other investigators, solicitors, insurance companies, industry, debt collection companies and a few private individuals as well.

Some of the people writing to ask this question of me also ask if they can follow me about as I work. I always reply that it may interest me, but it would be very boring to watch! They need to get work experience with a more general firm if they will let a newcomer in.

At the most recent seminar I attended on the Data Protection Act, the solicitor who was running it said that investigation was very much in demand and if the investigator could prove that they were operating lawfully there would be masses of work from wealthy City firms. The problem of course is that if information is gathered unlawfully there could be a very embarrassing court case brought by the Information Commissioner a few years down the line. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/

So there you have it. By all means go out and become an investigator if you want to. Just make sure that you are honourable, law abiding, trustworthy and well insured.

Good luck!

The above article contributed by:
Giles and Louise
info@blood-ties.com

Their message:
"I run a people finding service called Blood-Ties Tracing Service, which you can find at http://www.blood-ties.com/. I should be happy to help you in your searches".

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