There are some skills that can not be taught for someone to become a successful Professional Private Investigator. These skills can be honed, improved upon, yet there are a few skills that successful private investigators must possess before they begin their training. 

• Being alert at all times - Being alert to potentially dangerous situations is one aspect, more importantly, it is being alert to situations, body language, what is said, and what is not said while conducting an investigation. Some refer to this as being "quick of mind", or "sharp" or "intuitive". Successful private investigators have the ability to know when something is not quite right... there is something missing. It may be how a suspect phrases an answer to a question, how they gaze in a different direction when answering, or looking at a crime scene and thinking, "Hmmm...something is wrong here". Sensing, or being alert to these indicators is one of the traits that is successful investigators possess. 
• Creative - Creativity is needed in investigations whether gathering facts that are elusive, finding additional ways to get to the truth when obstacles appear in the investigation, or utilizing varying approaches during an interview with a cunning suspect. Private investigators have to be creative in how they approach an investigation, being able to implement a new approach quickly when the one they are trying does not appear to be effective. Although there are several common tenets on how to approach and conduct an investigation, creativity is one of those skills that help an investigator reach a conclusion quickly. 
• Analytical Mindset - Gathering, reviewing, verifying facts requires a mental ability to think logically, analyze all the information that is gathered to find the truth in an investigation. In any investigation there is often a lot of information that has to be analyzed. Successful private investigators logically analyze the information they gather to determine what is relevant and what is not. Successful private investigators know what is 'noise' in their investigation, information that is not relevant, so they can focus their time and effort on what is important." 
• Honesty/Integrity - We include courses on ethics in our training and emphasize the importance of being honest and ethical. We identify the boundaries of what is ethical behavior and what is not ethical behavior. Although this training is important, it is only a reminder to those that already possess them. Honesty/integrity is learned from an early age that is the moral compass that guides us in everyday life. Consider that being honest in carrying out investigative responsibilities is a behavior versus a teachable skill. Facing the challenges, challenges to your honesty and integrity, in the right way requires a mind-set that is just not teachable, rather it is a commitment that does not require thinking about. Consistently successful private investigators are honest in all of their dealings. They find it easy to maintain their honesty and integrity where others may see it as a difficulty. 

It is these skills that stand successful private investigators apart from the other, less successful investigators. Education can help improve these skills, but, from our observations, what we've listed must be in place to become a successful, Professional Private Investigator. 

Private investigations are often challenging, complex -- that's the primary reason clients employ a private investigator. Chances are you've heard, maybe even used the idiom, "Going down the rabbit hole" which refers to taking routes that are problematic, often following leads that are not specifically related an investigation. Starting out I experienced this problem first hand. After completing several interviews in a simple assault case, I had a long list of additional "leads" to follow. What should have been a simple, quick investigation, quickly expanded to include several actions. When asked by my supervisor about the status of the case. I shared the information I collected and how I was diligently following several "leads" such as; "Did the combatants know each other?", "Exactly what time did it occur", among others. Patiently my supervisor worked with me so I would understand the concept of going down the rabbit hole and how to avoid it. 

First, to avoid investigative rabbit holes, it is important to identify specific questions that need to be answered. In my previous example, the questions were simple; "Did an assault occur?" and "Who was the aggressor?" By focusing on answering just one or two questions other issues that are raised are often moot such as exactly what time did the incident occur. Whether it happened at 11:00 or 11:15 was not relevant, rather did it happen. 

Second, as a private investigator the scope statement that is developed with the client is the best guide for the investigation. If during an interview additional information about other incidents arise, they can be referred back to the client while the investigator focuses on the initial scope statement. This is critical to meeting the contractual obligations as well as ensuring the investigation stays focused.

Third, identifying the relevancy of facts collected, which can be a combination of one and two above, will help avoid going astray during an investigation. A lot of facts are collected during any investigation. Several of the facts may not be directly relevant to the incident being investigated. Gather facts as they are found during an investigation but when nearing the end of the investigation focus on relevant facts to ensure the investigation is accurate and that others will have a clear understanding of what actually occurred. One of our favorite examples used to teach report writing is a statement that a private investigator put in a report about an internal employee theft case. "Witness 1 stated that they had noticed that the suspect often coughed a lot which disturbed others in the office." This statement had no relevancy in the case but the investigator decided to include it in the report. 

Professional private investigators know the importance of keeping their investigations focused on the specific questions need to be answered, staying within the scope of the investigation and sorting the facts as to their relevancy to the specific incident. Being a private investigator requires being cognizant of the time spent, focusing on the scope of the investigation to ensure that the investigation is profitable. (This does not imply that investigators should short-cut an investigation - rather focus on the incident at hand). 

As Private Investigations is a business that relies on making money to be successful, it is easy for a Private Investigator to fall into traps, primarily, failing to adequately evaluate a case before accepting it. Private investigators, when deciding whether to take a case, or not, must carefully weigh their decision before proceeding. 

• Why would a private investigator not take a case? There are many reasons why a private investigator would not take a case: 
  • Lack of expertise in the specific case being presented - Not all investigators have the necessary skills, abilities, and knowledge to take on all cases. Some obvious areas might be computer intrusion investigations. This is a highly technical field requiring not only specific knowledge but often software and/or equipment. 
  • Inability to meet client demands - Some client's may have unrealistic expectations as to the timeline required to complete the case, expectations of how evidence might be collected, or other reasons that may place the investigation out of reach of the investigator. Some of these expectations may violate state and federal laws. 
  • Current case load may also be a determining factor - A firm with several active cases may not be able to take on another case. Investigators have to carefully review their current load and determine if they have are able to absorb another case.  

From observation and experience there are some pitfalls that private investigators have to work hard to avoid. The opportunity to increase the bottom line can result in negative consequences if not carefully considered. 

• Damage to reputation - The worse situation is where an investigator is not able to effectively investigate a case for a client based on the reasons above. This is disastrous. One failed investigation can result in a dramatic loss of revenue for an investigative firm. Word-of-mouth can reduce business opportunities for the firm. With the use of social media, one dissatisfied client can severely impact business opportunities for the firm, short and long term. Protecting the firm's reputation is critical to ongoing business success.
• Loss of revenue - Often when taking on a case where the investigator does not have the necessary skills or experience the bottom line can be greatly impacted. Additional costs to get the job done right quickly add up. Hiring additional investigators, or technicians, even having to purchase additional equipment endangers the profitability of an investigation. 
• Poorly executed investigation - Being unable to devote the necessary time, or expertise can result in an investigation that is not helpful to the client, or even worse, fail to the point that the client may incur liabilities. This not only fails the client, but damages the reputation of the firm, and possibly allowing violators to go unpunished. 

When deciding to take a case, investigators should consider the T.A.S.K.E.R. thought process...

• Time - the time required to complete the investigation based on the scope provided by the client. Time must be considered in comparison to existing workload, and staffing to effectively meet the client's timeline. 
• Abilities - Considering the abilities of the firm in meeting the clients expectations is critical. Short deadlines, and/or unrealistic expectations of the client great decreases the ability of the firm to complete the investigation in a satisfactory manner.  
• Skills - Toughest part of any decision is admitting to a client that the firm does not possess the necessary skills to complete an investigation. Having an inventory of colleagues with the necessary specialties can go a long way to off-setting the challenges in meeting a clients expectations. 
• Knowledge - Some investigations require a specific knowledge base. Employment investigations, internal employee investigations, all have specific rules and laws that need to be followed. Without the necessary knowledge, a lot of time, not to mention the case, can be lost. Experience is something we also throw in to this category. Having experience in a specific investigation is critical to being successful.
• Equipment - There are times when purchasing special equipment from GPS, surveillance camera's, computer processing software, etc, have to be made to allow the firm to expand their service offerings. Considering the initial investment in equipment to complete the investigation has to be compared to the potential return. In addition, impacts on the timeline of the investigation will have to be carefully considered from purchasing, learning how to use the equipment, as well as gaining the required knowledge in it's proper operation and use.  
• Risk - Overall, an investigator has to weigh the risks of financial impacts, and potential risks to the firms reputation when deciding to take a case. Considering the aspects mentioned above will allow the firm to make a better decision when deciding whether to take a case. One investigator shared, "If I have concerns about the investigation that make pause on making a decision for more than 24 hours I pass on it [investigation]. I will try to help the client find a firm to assist them." 

There are other obvious reasons not to take on a case such as;  the clients' motivation may not be ethical, the investigation can not be successful, or the investigator realizes the client will be difficult to work with in completing the investigation. Although there may be a missed opportunity for financial gain, when the risks are present, understand that long-term business opportunities can be negatively impacted, potentially threatening the existence of the firm. 

When working on a criminal case, or an individual suspected of violating company policy you need to prepare in advance for conducting an interview, or follow-up interview, and identify a strategy to confront the suspect with their actions. Following are a few suggestions in preparing to confront a suspect. 

Preparing in advance can help you during the interview or interrogation process.

• Start by gathering the facts that point to your suspect. Have them in the order they happen. Sometimes creating a timeline with notes as to what evidence supports each fact is great place to start. This will allow you to focus your interview/interrogation to gain additional insights into each fact. 
• Learn about the suspect. Talk with the client to gain additional information about their habits, possible personal issues they may be facing, and ask if there have been any noted changes in their behavior since the incident before you meet with the suspect. 
• Identify any legal requirements, or policy requirements that may include notifications you must give to the suspect at the beginning of your interview/interrogation. These may include policy notifications, depending on the client, that require them to cooperate with an administrative investigation. 
• Develop your question list in the order you want to begin. Starting slowly with open-ended questions, then working up to more specific questions is one technique that works for most situations. For example; "Tell me about what you did yesterday from about 9:00 am to 11:00 am?" Then getting more specific, "At 9:15 am you said you were in Jane's office. Why did you go in her office while she was gone?", "What were you carrying when you left her office?" 

Starting the interview/interrogation: 

• For safety you should have a second investigator with you in the event the suspect becomes violent. Also, having a second investigator will allow one to focus on questioning, monitoring body language while the second investigator focuses on taking notes. 
• Continuing with safety, arrange the meeting location so you have a direct route to the exit. 
• Always start by developing rapport, even if you have interviewed the suspect before. Your goal is to get them comfortable at in talking to you. This increases the chance that they will open up to you as the questioning progresses. Starting off in an aggressive manner often results in resistance from the suspect. One investigator shared with us, "I get more confessions with sugar than I do with salt." 
• When appropriate, be empathetic with the suspect during questioning. Being empathetic furthers their their trust in you and they may be more likely to open up about the incident. If you are aware of personal issues, such as financial problems, drug use, etc, you may want to emphasize with them during the interview with verbal "clues". "We know you are facing some financial issues. Facing financial issues is stressful, makes me feel trapped." (Notice the change the use of "me" in the second sentence)
• TIP: One private investigator uses a technique he calls, "mental braking". After the interview has progressed for awhile he will intentionally sit back in a relaxed manner, and ask the suspect, "What are you thinking right now?", to slow the interview -- "slowly apply the brakes". Depending on the suspect's response, the investigator will ask further questions. For example; if the suspect says, "I'm thinking that you suspect me." The investigator says he always responds with, "Why is that? What makes you think that?"

During the interview/interrogation: 

• Address contradictions in the suspect's statements.
• Practice active listening. Use your body language to let them know you are listening. One technique is to mirror their body posture. If they are leaning back then do the same. 
• Be alert to their body language. Hands touching their face repeatedly, breaking eye contact, etc. These signs can help guide you on your questioning in changing from a casual approach to a more pointed approach. 

Closing the interview/interrogation: 

• Some experienced investigators, when concluding the interview with or without a confession, will ask the suspect to write a statement about the incident, even if they have already written one. One investigator shared, that in her experience, the suspect that was involved often will refuse to write a statement, but cautions that this is not a sign of guilt in all cases. It often allows her to continue the interview with more discussion. 
• Near the end of the interview/interrogation, if the suspect has not confessed, you can decide if you will confront them with some or all of the evidence you have. Being empathetic, if the suspect has been generally cooperative, may help solicit a confession. "Unfortunately, I don't believe you. I have witnesses, and video evidence that shows you at the scene when the incident occurred. I can understand that you are under a lot of stress right now with everything that is going on in your life. Stress clouds my thinking. It would help me if you could explain how that happened if you weren't the one?" 

These are just a few ideas, or tips. How you implement them will depend on your specific case, the evidence you have, reactions of your suspect, and your personal preference in conducting interviews or interrogations. 

No industry is free from individuals that choose to do the wrong thing from time-to-time and this applies to private investigators as well. Unfortunately, there are those limited few that bring discredit to our profession and it often reflects badly on all of us. 

Ethical, professional private investigators are always alert to conduct that may breach or violate ethical professional standards. Here is a simple decision making method to determine if your conduct during an investigation is ethical. This method is extremely important when the decision is not clear. 

1. Is the action(s) a violation of any local, state, or federal law? If yes then STOP. If no, continue to the next item. 
2. Will the action(s) if taken negate being presented in court? If yes then STOP. If no, continue to the next item. 
3. Is the action(s) considered immoral, unjust, or otherwise a questionably practice? If yes then STOP. If no, continue to the next item. 
4. Are the action(s) contradictory to professional private investigative standards? If yes then STOP, if no then continue to the next item. 
5. Will completing the action(s) make you, your investigators or client feel uncomfortable? If yes, then STOP, if no then continue to the next item. 
6. Will the action(s), if known to others, put your company at risk of obtaining additional business? If yes then STOP, if no then continue to the next item. 

If you answer Yes to any of the questions above then you should not take that action. If you can answer No to all of these questions, there is a great chance that others will not question your conduct.

One question that often comes up from students, "Is there any situation where violating ethics acceptable, maybe more ethical?" This is a tricky question as it seems to imply the private investigator is conducting an unethical act when they learn something that is of such great importance to reveal that it would make the unethical act ethical. Our answer, considering the context of the question, is No - we are not aware of any "excuse" to make unethical conduct ethical. Otherwise the action(s) would be ethical at the time.

The biggest risk a private investigator takes when deciding to pursue an unethical or questionable action in their investigation is the harm that may be done to a client. This is unethical behavior aside from the action - creating risk for the client.​ 

​It's unfortunate that a few investigators decide to continue moving in the wrong direction when they know better, or are just not sure. When they do, and get caught, this reflects badly on them and badly on the private investigator profession. Any time the action is questionable, you are not sure if the answer is Yes or No, the best course of action is to find an alternative approach or discuss with legal counsel, or other trusted colleagues in your profession. 

For fun, watch New York Private Investigator, Michael McKeever, by clicking here, Fact-Check some private investigator movies. 
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There's nothing more rewarding than conducting an interview of a suspect and getting a confession, or completing an eye witness interview that clearly identifies the suspect. But wait, your work is not done. 

Even when an interview is completed, the information you are searching for has been obtained, you must verify the information to ensure it is factual, then document it in the report for your client. 

Why is it important to verify the facts when you get a confession or eye witness accounts? Because the suspect may change their story, or if court is in the future, they simply plea the fifth amendment and do not testify. Witnesses disappear, they move away or over time their memory recall becomes fuzzy. Also, a defense attorney may seek to poke holes in the information you gained through interviews by pointing out you did not verify information leaving doubt in the mind of the judge or jury. 

Following is a simple checklist to verify information from a confession or eye witness statements: 

• Identify timelines - Was the suspect at the location when they committed the crime? Was the eye witness accounted for at the scene? Were there others that saw them immediately prior or at the time. Creating a timeline that shows the movement of the suspect, and locations of the witnesses is one method for verifying information collected during an interview. 
• Verify descriptions - Verify the clothing worn by the suspect in comparison to the witness statements. Video surveillance immediately prior to the incident, e.g. suspect entering the store, that shows the clothing worn matches the description given by the witness. Look for others that match the clothing and physical description. 
• Time cards (employee's) - Whether the suspect is an employee, or the witness, simply asking the client to verify that either, or both, were working that day is another verification method. Having this information in the report supports they were at the site when the incident occurred. 
• Follow the property - If property is involved, whether altering time records, or items stolen, follow the property in the next step in the timeline. A suspect says they gave the items to a friend? Talk to the friend to see if they received the items. Of course you want to try and recover them as well. Ask the client to conduct an inventory where appropriate to verify the item(s) are missing. 
• Identify & Interview "supporting" witnesses - As a part of the timeline, conducting follow-up interviews with supporting witnesses that can verify the location of other witnesses, or the suspect. Supporting witnesses provide information about the presence and/or disappearance of items are critical as well. For example; Supporting witness observed the eye witness and the suspect enter the area where the incident occurred are great ways to verify statements of both. 
• Identify & Interview "informative" witnesses - Primarily in incidents involving employees, it is important to gain information about processes and procedures. For example; employees are not allowed to take items from the store. Interview a human resources representative, or manager to verify that this is a prohibited act. Other informative witnesses may include inventory clerks, or others with information that supports the incident did in fact occur, even if they were not at the scene at the time it occurred. One PI said he makes a point to interview custodial staff. They often move around the workplace without anyone paying much attention. They often are great sources of informative or supporting witness information. 

Verifying each piece of information provided by suspects and witnesses will ensure that your case is complete and accurate. Any discrepancies should be investigated further until there is no doubt. This will help maintain the integrity of your case in the event memories of witnesses fade, or the suspect refuses to talk anymore. 

As a private investigator you often find yourself in situations where your safety may be at risk. Interviewing aggressive suspects; conducting surveillance; and being in unsafe areas. Often private investigators can become complacent about their safety, whether having interviewed several individuals without incident; working in unsafe areas several times without incident; or conducting surveillance without being approached by the target. It is important that you always think "Safety First!!!"

Safety First!!! As a private investigator you have to be aware, identify the potential risks you face and be prepared to take action. Think through the following every time you leave the office: 

• Locations - Threats do not always come from the investigation you are conducting. You may be traveling to crime ridden areas, or areas where other individuals may be present that are not happy you are there. Whenever traveling to a location, or conducting surveillance, be aware of your surroundings. When possible, gather information about where you are going by searching the Internet for news stories about crimes, review local police web pages for incidents being reported, and/or locate crime maps to understand what crimes are typically committed. 
• Environmental factors - be aware of safety concerns in your immediate area. If you are called to an industrial plant, or other locations where hazardous work is being performed, you need to be alert. Understand the potential hazards you may encounter such as construction sites. 
• Individuals - Unfortunately, anyone you may encounter could be a potential threat. Whether a witness, suspect or victim, they may perceive your presence in a negative way and react violently. Review your verbal de-escalation techniques, ensure that you have a clear path to an exit at all times when interviewing, and have assistance from other investigators whenever possible. 

Unlike law enforcement, most private investigators do not have the assistance of others to rush to their aid in seconds. Private investigators must identify the potential risks and be prepared to implement mitigating responses which can include protective equipment, maintaining an awareness of evacuation routes, surroundings or taking other evasive actions. The key is to always think SAFETY FIRST!!! If you encounter a situation that is potentially dangerous? Exit, evacuate, run if needed to a place of safety. Only use physical force as a last resort to protect yourself. 

Here are some other safety tips whether working or off-duty to help you develop habits that will make you think Safety First!!!!!: 

• Maintain an awareness of exits anytime you enter a building. 
• Keep your head on a swivel - look around and be aware of your surroundings for potential threats. 
• Think about potential evasive actions you can take in any situation. (We encourage our students to play the "What if?" game. For example; "What if the person I am interviewing attempts to reach across the table at me? Push the table against the individual and move to the nearest exit."; "What if I am in a building and there is a fire? Know where the nearest exterior exit is."; "What if my surveillance target approaches me in a hostile manner? Make sure I have a clear route to evacuate the area.")

Hopefully you have gathered that this article is to get you to think??????? Yes!!!!  Think Safety First!!!! At all times!!!!

Chances are as a private investigator you have a format that you use for organizing your case files. Periodically, it is important to ensure your case file is organized to meet your client's needs. Here are a few tips that may help you tune-up your case files, or check to ensure you are providing the best product for your client. 

• Remember who you are writing the report for - You are writing the report for your client. It needs to be written for ease of use by your client. Avoid using industry jargon that may not be familiar to everyone; verify proper use of grammar and of course spell check. NOTE: It's important when you spell check to ensure you are using words correctly for example; "there" vs, "their". 
• Case summary/synopsis - Client's want to understand the results of the investigation quickly. Write a brief summary/synopsis of the case. Some PI's write the summary/synopsis in the email then attach the report as a pdf file. The summary simply answers the questions the client had when they contracted you to investigate.  
• Use a table of contents - Using a table of contents will help the client, and you, find information quickly. Consider organizing content based on the type of information it is. A section for the investigative narrative, interviews (include a list of dates, times, locations and names), section for evidence collected, and other content arranged by type. Creating a table of contents that lists the sections will make it easy to locate information. (Click here to learn how to create a table of contents in Word. Click here to learn how to create a table of contents in Google Docs)
• Use lists or inventories for each section - Incorporate a list of information at the beginning of each section. This allows you to quickly locate where specific information is in the report as well as serving a double-check that you have included all information in the report. 
• Proofread, proofread, and proofread - As you have read in our other articles about proofreading reports you know this is the most important step. We suggest you write the first draft concentrating on getting all of the information into the report. Then proofread for accuracy and to verify all information is included. Then proofread a second time for spelling and grammar. Try to put yourself in the place of the client. Does the text make sense? Could someone unfamiliar with the case understand the information you have included in the report. And, then let the report "marinate" for a day or two before the final proofreading. This allows you the opportunity to think about it. What information may you have missed? Are there important facts you need to emphasize? After a day or two, plan to spend plenty of time on the final proofread to verify everything - all information is included, spelling, grammar, and readability. 

PROPIACADEMY TIP: When proofreading for spelling and proper use of words, try reading the report backwards. This allows you to focus on spelling and proper word use. 

Your report is the final product that represents your work. Chances are it will be read by several individuals depending on the type of case. It may be presented in a court of law, read by prosecutors, law enforcement or others. Proper organization will improve your final report product and reflect well on your work. 
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Interviewing is one of the critical skills that private investigators bring to the table in any investigation. Gaining information from witnesses, suspects, and subject matter experts often is the primary method that private investigators use to solve a case. 

Establishing rapport with the person being interviewed is the first step in any interview, increasing the chances that the private investigator will gain the information they need. Before an interview, gather information about the individual such as reading statements they have provided prior to the interview, understanding their role in a company, or the reason they are being interviewed. Then; 

1. Start with a conversational approach - Introduce yourself and state the purpose of your interview. Remember to smile. 
2. Ask about the individual - Spend a few minutes talking with the individual about their position, role in the company, or how they are associated with the investigation. Chat about their hobbies, interests if time allows.
3. Show genuine interest in the individual - Let them know you are listening to them. Paraphrase information they share with you.  
4. Use their name - Get their permission, "May I call you Rob?". Then use their name when talking, asking questions. This helps to establish a connection with the individual, personalizing the interview.
5. Be friendly, empathetic - Let them know you understand or are trying to understand their position in a specific investigation. "I can imagine that you feel threatened about being interviewed." Or, "It's tough to be under-appreciated in your work." 
6. Maintain rapport throughout the interview - Private investigators that continually build rapport with the interviewee gather more information. Those being interviewed that feel comfortable with the investigator are more willing to share information that may be relevant to the case. 

Building rapport requires effort on the part of the private investigator in an interview situation. Think of building rapport as making an investment in the investigation. It requires a few minutes of time but can provide excellent results.