"Is it a fact?"

Private investigators are professional fact finders. They gather information and determine if the information is factual. Here are some tips to ensure you are gathering and reporting the facts: 

1. Interview - person says they arrived at work around 9 am? Check time cards and/or video surveillance to verify what they said is factual. This helps determine the truthfulness of a witness as well as ensuring you are following credible leads. 
2. Video surveillance footage - Even though you have a video, it's best to gather witness statements as well. Short video clips often don't portray the complete story. Gathering witness statements, verifying they coincide with the video footage ensures you are getting the correct, full story about an incident. Also, identify what happens just out of camera range. 
3. Documents - Documents can change as they move from one person to another or from office to another. Ensure that you don't rely on one document from one person. Follow the document and obtain copies from each stopping point. A timeline may be helpful when you find variations in the document. This is true for electronic documents as well. Look for revision histories, time stamps on document files, and gather statements from each individual that received the document. 
4. Use the triangle method - Created to verify credibility of intelligence information, it works to verifying the facts. If one person says it was about 9am when an incident occurred? Identify two additional sources to verify the time where possible. If one says, 9:15am another says 9:05 am then you know it was around 9-9:15 am. Report the facts. 

Gathering and identifying factual information is your job. It is the key to maintaining your reputation as a private investigator and being successful in your job. No one wants to report something as a fact when it may not be.