Tips for hiring a private detective

The difference between a good private investigator and a bad private investigator is the difference between working with an ethical person who conducts their business in a professional manner and someone who can scam you.

The yellow pages directory is full of private investigators who promise to keep an eye on your partner for example. But once they have your money, they go straight to her husband or wife and offer to do a “good report” for some money.

The best way to find a private investigator is through referrals. If not, you will need to start by making a list of potential private investigators. These sources are good places to start:

– Your local on-call agency, especially if you want to hire a local detective. If your case in Bergen, you should deal with Privatetterforsker Bergen.

– An employee of the police department.

– The shift supervisor of the police department.

– Investigators working in the Attorney General’s office.

– Defense attorneys.

– The association of private investigators in your area. But this suggestion comes with a caveat; Private investigators are not required to belong to these associations, and many of the good ones do not.

List of qualities to fulfill

Here we will show you the different qualities that your private investigator must have:

Private detective license

Since in some places it is easier for someone to call themselves a private investigator, you should not rely solely on the title as your final qualification. Anyone can call themselves a detective and try to make a living out of it. However, in Norway we have requirements to be a private detective. In our country, private detectives must have investigative experience. As you can understand by having the private detective license, it gives the detective much more credibility and therefore more professionalism, since we make sure that it really is a person who went through a series of requirements and is not just any person who offers a service.

Experience

What is your level of training in private investigation? Do they have technical knowledge, for example computer science? What area are they specialized in? Are there areas in which they have no experience, such as computer security or polygraphs? Will this influence your needs? As in any profession such as a lawyer, experience outweighs professionalism and success, if a lawyer has been in the profession for 10 years it is because he has resolved many cases in his favor and these 10 years support his knowledge.

So within the private detectives sector we have to consider how many of his work and how many cases similar to his have solved. How did those cases turn out?

Good reputation

What is your overall impression of this person? Is your main concern of him money? (Your needs as a customer come first.) Can you trust him? What do you think of confidentiality? Has this person demonstrated an ethical nature, a sense of decency? Although private investigators do not officially have the same level of confidentiality as a lawyer or doctor, a good private investigator will respect this. He will never release an informant or information, and will keep anything shared between the two of you private.

Some clients fear that their identity will be revealed if the private investigator confronts the person under investigation. A good private investigator will never divulge the name of his client. This is strictly confidential. If the surveillance fails, at least you will not have suffered any repercussions for it, since your identity as a customer will always be an unknown outside of this agreement.

However, there are times when a private investigator will want to let subjects know that they are being investigated, such as during a pre-employment investigation. This technique is used to dissuade applicants who have something in their background that would disqualify them, since not all detectives take every case as there are people who want a private detective for unethical purposes as such.

That they can testify in court

People trained as federal agents or police officers know the system and know how to work on it. They can present evidence or other legal documents that can be upheld in court. They are also willing to testify in support of these issues. Make sure the private detective you choose has this experience.

Ask if they are willing to go to court if the situation requires it. Also, ask him if he has ever testified in a similar case and if there is anything in his past that is preventing him from taking the stand. Remember that if your situation ends up in court, your case will be much stronger if your private investigator is able to testify and present the information he has discovered. To be considered an expert and to be allowed to testify, a judge will ask a private investigator a series of qualifying questions that may include background, training, experience, and whatever else he can determine if he is an “expert.” As in other situations, appearance is important. Is it well groomed and does it look professional? Will you be able to earn the respect of a judge or jury? A person’s appearances can tell a lot about them.

Know human nature

Knowing how to anticipate people, how to interrogate them, and how to develop a strategy based on what you learn are very useful private investigation tools. Although this experience of human nature cannot compensate for a private investigator’s ability to use a computer, a good “sense of people” makes the private investigator more effective in gathering and transmitting information.

Work from an office

Cross a private investigator off your list if you only work in a restaurant, on the phone, or through a mailbox. Once you have given a payment, how do you know that you will be able to locate it? An uncluttered office can also be an indicator of professionalism.

Clearly indicate the rate

Tell them in advance what you want them to do to you and ask how much it will cost. They should be able to give you an accurate budget and should never exceed that amount unless you are informed in advance.

Has a good relationship with you

Are you comfortable with the private investigator? Do they understand their situation? Do they maintain eye contact? You feel comfortable? You are entrusting the confidentiality of your situation and the information you discover, which can affect many people close to you. You must treat your case with sensitivity.

Final thoughts

Making the decision to hire a private investigator can be an emotional decision. Think about why you need one. Is it to search for information? Always think about the possible results. Are you prepared to face the truth that the private investigator may discover, both the bad news and the good news? Are you ready to take the next step? If you are absolutely sure, you can move on to the next steps.

We hope this guide was helpful!