Have you found yourself wondering, what does a private investigator actually do all day? Do they hide out in cars with a camera, waiting for a suspect to leave a building across the street? Are they always wearing a trench coat and fedora to prevent anyone from recognizing them? As one of St. Louis’ best private investigation firms, CIAPI has the answers.
In short, private investigators, also called private detectives, use surveillance and investigative techniques to gather information on a subject or situation in question. Although the services a private investigator provides may differ depending on the case or industry in which they work, their general skill sets are pretty similar across the board. A private investigator must have a keen eye for detail, excellent observation skills and an analytical mind – able to piece together bits of data and observations to reach an accurate conclusion effectively.
So what tasks are private investigators spending their time on that requires such a skill set? Usually, a day in the life includes performing undercover investigations, performing surveillance activities, and documenting and reporting the results of investigations. They also spend time interviewing people and witnesses, as well as a fair amount of research.
Skilled investigators are in-demand in a number of industries. The skills and expertise of private investigators are of value in a large number of areas, including:
- Computer forensics services
- Personal protection services
- Undercover investigations
- Supplier, vendor and employee screening programs
- Crisis intervention services
- Retail loss and prevention
- Criminal investigation services
- Polygraph services
- Missing persons services
- Pre-employment screenings
- Personal investigations
Some private investigators specialize their careers in a specific area, such as private security, fugitive recovery, or criminal justice. The United States Association of Professional Investigators recognizes a number of specialty tracks for private investigators, including:
- Civil investigation
- Criminal investigation
- Investigative business administration
- Criminology and behavioral sciences
- Terrorism and intelligence
- Investigative law and ethics
- Special victims/child abuse/nursing homes
- Security
- Computer forensics/Internet
- Insurance investigation
Some private investigators may also work exclusively with or for a law firm, helping gather data and observations on witnesses and events. For the most part, private detectives spend their time working in a general capacity, providing a wide array of investigative services to a variety of clients.
Source: Private Investigator EDU