I'm Not a Private Investigator

William F. Blake, CPP, CFE

Blake and Associates, Inc.

Littleton, Colorado 80160-0489

Those of us who have moved from the public sector investigation agencies and into the private sector invariable call ourselves “private investigators.” This is an erroneous statement and one that will cause many future financial problems.  While serving in the public domain, the term “investigator” or special agent” was appropriate. 

Upon moving to the private sector, another title is automatically attached to your activities with or without your consent.  You are no longer an investigator but have become a “business person.”  Regardless of whether or not you are a sole employee as a private investigator or as a member of a multi-person investigative firm, you must engage in business activities to be successful.

In the public sector, there never was a paucity of work:  normally the workload exceeded the unit idealistic capabilities.  You did not have to seek work as the work normally came to you at an excessive rate.  At the same time, there was a support staff to take care of administrative functions. 

In the private sector, you will probably be the sole administrative staff member.  The major administrative task that will be required of you is that of marketing your skills and business.  Work will not come to you as if formally had but you will be required to find work, which in itself, is not an easy task.  As your marketing and public image improves over time, you will be in a better position to get more clients and workload.

One of the problems facing many transiting to the private sector is that many individuals have specialized for many years in one particular area of the criminal justice system.  While these skills are very valuable and will be worth much as your reputation increases, but until that time, the fledgling private investigator must resign him/herself to work cases that would not normally be accepted.  These trivial cases are where you develop clients and increase your reputation.

One area normally overlooked by the new private investigator is that of the civil justice system.  Many of us worked nothing but criminal cases while in the public sector and do not realize the number of billable hours that can be obtained in the civil litigation market. 

The billable hours in civil litigation are driven by the client’s desire, for various reasons, to recovery property and not involve law enforcement.  When law enforcement and the criminal justice system are involved, the client may suffer adverse public relations, including the loss of customers and reduced staff morale and efficiency.

While working a civil litigation matter, many of the skills used in criminal cases will be of extreme value.  The civil litigation matter will be investigated in the same manner as a criminal case but slated for civil litigation for the recovery of assets and other non-financial properties. 

The field of private investigations can be a lucrative and self-gratifying endeavor.  The most difficult is the ideological transfer from the reactive nature of the public sector “criminal” investigation to the preventive nature of the private sector “civil” investigations.  You can no longer think like a law enforcement officer but must become a part of the business community where the answer to problems is not putting someone in jail.

« Return