Thanks to cliches introduced by popular TV shows and movies, private investigator services are often seen as illegal, or as a shady deal. However, that is not the case at all! Nearly all private licensed private detectives work for reputable companies, and have permission from police and/or courts to conduct their investigations.
Who are private investigators?
Private investigators are basically detectives who work with various agencies to assist in collecting data against/for someone. They may also be self employed, and in many cases, they have previously worked with a police force or agency.
What do they do?
Private investigators can access private databases that search multiple databases at once in order to gather records. They may also perform background checks, skip traces, searching for missing people and surveillance, which is most commonly associated with them. Their work is valuable because it is legal and they are experts at it. It may seem easier to follow someone around yourself, but the truth is, surveillance is harder than it seems. You have to follow someone without being noticed, but without losing them either, which is a skill that can take years to master. Not to mention, if you do the surveillance yourself, you leave yourself open to a lawsuit as well.
Who hires them?
People have many reasons to hire a private investigator. Almost half of all private detectives work with financial institutions such as banks or credit card companies. About 25% are working for the government, while the other 25% are self employed. They may also be hired by Sheriffs or police departments, in addition to working with attorneys on civil cases.
Being a private detective can be very dynamic, with different types of jobs and opportunities for employment constantly coming up. Have you ever considered becoming one? Will you ever hire one? Let us know!
