Personal Investigations
A private detective, also known as a Private Investigator , is a person who is not a member of a police force but is licensed to do detective work (an investigation of suspected wrongdoing or searching for missing persons).Private detectives also have the goal of collecting factual evidence that could help solve a crime, unlike a police detective whose goal is to arrest and prosecute criminals.
A private detective’s case load often includes background investigations, surveillance and skip traces, and searches for missing people. In some cases private detectives can serve legal documents that notify a person of their involvement in legal proceedings, such as court subpoenas. Serving such legal documents is required to adhere to the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, which guarantee the right to due process. Due process is the principle that all persons are treated equally in the eyes of the law.
Private investigators also engage in a variety of work not often associated with the industry in the mind of the public. For example, many are involved in process serving, the personal delivery of summons, subponeas, and other legal documents to parties in a legal case. The tracing of absconding debtors can also form a large part of a PI’s work load. Many agencies specialize in a particular field of expertise. For example, some PI agencies deal only in tracing.
An Private investigator, undercover detective, or undercover agent is a person who conducts investigations of suspected or confirmed criminal activity while impersonating a disinterested third party.
Private investigators often infiltrate a suspected insurgent group, posing as a person interested in purchasing illegal goods or services with the ultimate aim of obtaining information about their assigned target.
Many undercover investigators carry hidden Cameras and recorders strapped to their bodies to help them document their investigations. The period of the investigation could last for several months, or in some extreme cases, years.
Due to the dangerous nature of the job, their real identities are kept secret throughout their active careers. Economic investigations, business intelligence and information on competitors, security advice, special security services information, criminal investigation, investigations background, and profile polygraph tests are all typical examples of such a role.
A private investigator, a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals, groups or NGOs to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators often work for attorneys in civil and criminal cases.
A handful of firms specialize in technical surveillance counter-measures, sometimes called electronic counter measures, which is the locating and dealing with unwanted forms of electronic surveillance (for example, a bugged boardroom for industrial espionage purposes).