Years ago, when I worked as a criminal investigator in the Navy and then as a Special Agent for the state’s Organized Crime Division, I investigated cases with some coworkers who were “predisposed to get the Bad Guy.” They would make a decision about someone’s guilt or innocence early on in an assignment and then shape and direct their investigation toward that potentially flawed conclusion.
After leaving government, I started Research North, Inc. (RNI), a private investigation service that focuses primarily on defense work for the insurance industry and the business community. In the early years, I was hired by some attorneys and some adjusters who would say, “I know this guy is scamming; if you don’t catch him doing something on the first day of surveillance, let the air out of one of his tires and wait for him to change it.” I never took such an unethical step, but I know detectives who did and still do. Thankfully, I haven’t had a request like that in many years. Most clients today just want the truth.
A private detective should be the go to person for legally gathered information. He/she should aggressively advocate for each client, employ the best methodology to gather evidence and empower them to make the best informed decisions. Any predisposition (by the client or the investigator) to label the subject of investigation as the “bad guy” hampers decision making and increases potential liability.
Public and private detectives should be experts at fact finding. They should be knowledgeable at conducting surveillance, interviewing witnesses, locating, authenticating and examining documents and other types of evidence, obtaining confessions or admissions of responsibility and preparing legally compliant and courtroom ready reports. It is their job to enlighten, not confuse or deceive. In fact, several of our most prestigious professional organizations, such as the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE), expressly prohibits its members from opining on a person’s guilt or innocence or drawing expert conclusions not proven by a preponderance of the evidence. Applying relevant law to facts is the job of counsel, and apportioning responsibility is the task of the Trier of fact.
If you are in the market for a private detective, look for someone with expert qualifications, and insure that they take an aggressive but neutral and unbiased approach to the assignment.
Research North, Inc. (RNI), is a professional private detective service providing support to the business community, the insurance industry and individuals in Michigan and Wisconsin since 1981. The company also offers pre-employment background checks to small and medium sized businesses through a subsidiary called Backgroundcheckswork.com that is fully staffed by professional investigators who are retired from law enforcement.
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