Private Investigator Work - What is it like?

[steadyrock]

I'm asking this here because I figure that many LEO also do PI work, and/or that many PI's are former LE.

What is it like to work as a private investigator? Is there such thing as a "typical" client? Operating in the private sector means they don't have access to a lot of the data that LE will have, but what tools and techniques are used? What is a typical "day in the life"? I refuse to believe that it is anything like what I learned from Columbo.

I ask because, while I am not looking for a career change, I am really good at researching and finding things out about people and piecing together events. Really good. As in, super scary good. There have been times when I have honestly scared myself a little bit by what I was able to discover in short time. By training and trade, I am in the Information Security field. I also manage quality assurance and IT audit teams. All that is to say, I am skilled at noticing which details are potentially significant and developing them into a larger picture.

Everyone needs a side hustle. Do PI firms usually have need for moonlighting-types? If nothing else, it could be fun I guess. So, what can you guys tell me?

ETA - sorry for the horrible grammar and composition, I'm zombie-tired tonight.

[71MUSTY]

Interesting, I am really good at following the money and figuring out what motivates individuals. I was thinking after I retire I might look into volunteer work on cold cases for some LEO dept.

[teg33]

Unless you're license, you can't moonlighting legally speaking. However you can work part time as trainee for license PI.

On the contrary of Hollywood movies, PI job is not full of action/excitement, it can be very boring

[Boblaw]

Only a very few PI's make any money. Rather than compare to Columbo, better to compare to Jim Rockford (Rockford Files), but without the action and drama.

[ScottyXbones]

Unless you're license, you can't moonlighting legally speaking. However you can work part time as trainee for license PI.

On the contrary of Hollywood movies, PI job is not full of action/excitement, it can be very boring

I looked into this a few years ago, I found that CA does not have our require a license to be a PI. I'm not 100% sure that's correct though.

[teg33]

I looked into this a few years ago, I found that CA does not have our require a license to be a PI. I'm not 100% sure that's correct though.

Wrong, to work as PI (offer your service to clients) you need license. You can check it out at BSIS (Bureau of Security & Investigative Service) website. However you can work full time or part time as trainee for license PI firm, you work under the said firm license.

[teg33]

Only a very few PI's make any money. Rather than compare to Columbo, better to compare to Jim Rockford (Rockford Files), but without the action and drama.

True, the one that make money are the corporate ones. Pop & mom license PI doesn't make money like corporate.

[Che762x39]

I'm asking this here because I figure that many LEO also do PI work, and/or that many PI's are former LE.

What is it like to work as a private investigator? Is there such thing as a "typical" client? Operating in the private sector means they don't have access to a lot of the data that LE will have, but what tools and techniques are used? What is a typical "day in the life"? I refuse to believe that it is anything like what I learned from Columbo.

I ask because, while I am not looking for a career change, I am really good at researching and finding things out about people and piecing together events. Really good. As in, super scary good. There have been times when I have honestly scared myself a little bit by what I was able to discover in short time. By training and trade, I am in the Information Security field. I also manage quality assurance and IT audit teams. All that is to say, I am skilled at noticing which details are potentially significant and developing them into a larger picture.

Everyone needs a side hustle. Do PI firms usually have need for moonlighting-types? If nothing else, it could be fun I guess. So, what can you guys tell me?

ETA - sorry for the horrible grammar and composition, I'm zombie-tired tonight.

Most places want retired military/police types. Because you will not get a 40 hour week. You will registered as a process server and that is what you will do mostly and they 10-99 you for taxes. A week with no calls was $0 nada. But they want you available 24/7, 365 or they call one of the other guys/gals. That is why Rockford lived in a trailer and drove a used Firebird and not a Trans Am.

[Boblaw]

[IMG][/IMG]

Dream the Dream

[Nacho_Eater]

Mostly background checks on people and gathering info on a spouse suspected of cheating. Things like that.

[The Last American Hero]

Divorce work mostly. I hear any PI who says "I don't do divorce work" is lying, unless they only do Worker's Comp investigations.

I've know a few guys with totally legit WC claims from totally documented real accidents, real X-rays, surgery etc and they had a guy in a van tailing them for a week. We got bus billboards all over warning against WC fraud and I don't think those investigations are started by LE.

Ads on CL all the time for WC type investigators at about $20/hr. Don't know how legit the ads are.

Trucking companies will have guys in regular cars tail trucks sometimes to make sure they aren't making extra stops, stopping at liquor stores, etc.

Affairs of the heart make otherwise rational people put thousands on CCard for something they already know is happening.

Insurance companies play the numbers and figure "we aren't smart enough to 'know' this isn't a scam, or a new scam we haven't figured out".


The funniest thing about Rockford Files is him parking big trailer in a mostly empty public parking lot for days by the beach in the LA area.

[Petro6golf]

On the daily we get patrol info on the computer regarding a PI working in a said area in a said vehicle for so long. I talked to one a week ago. It sounded booring. He said he would sit in his vehicle for long periods of time just to follow someone from a to b.

That being said, a buddy of mine is a skip tracer and works for some company finding people who are delinquent on debts and other stuff. He makes money per person he finds. He drives a brand new car and told me he pulls something like $5000 a month take home.

[ak_in_ca]

I did PI work before becoming a cop and its miserable. The majority of your day is spent doing surveillance for insurance fraud/personal injury. Sitting in a car for 10 hours a day watching nothing peeing in a bottle, roasting in a hot car. No thanks, I'll push a black and white all day and be happy doing it. I don't want to go to a Narc team simply for the fact that PI work made me hate surveillance with a passion!

[Hot Holster]

I did PI work before becoming a cop and its miserable. The majority of your day is spent doing surveillance for insurance fraud/personal injury. Sitting in a car for 10 hours a day watching nothing peeing in a bottle, roasting in a hot car. No thanks, I'll push a black and white all day and be happy doing it. I don't want to go to a Narc team simply for the fact that PI work made me hate surveillance with a passion!

Let me add to this, unless you are with a company that has deep pockets and will have several or more investigators working on the same case, you will using your vehicle to follow your targets. If they drive stupid and sloppy, you are expected to maintain contact and not lose eyesight so now you become a stupid and sloppy driver just to keep up, all the while increasing chances of a traffic mishap, road rage, etc.

Forget personal plans, you will be available when called, work anytime day or night, nice neighborhood or the ghetto.

Surveillance: it's real fun to find spots to park where you do your surveillance on a street without legal parking, in an area where strange vehicles create interest from the people in the are so they either walk up to you to see what you are doing, or calling the cops, or a business parking lot again drawing interest and a police response.

Equipment: You will be expected to have Cameras, video equipment, cokes (binoculars), recording instruments all on your dime.

Eating and drinking: bring your own because you'll be on surveillance a long time and unless you have others working with you, you can't make a quick run to BK.

Bottom line, sometimes it's fun, but mostly a drab mundane thing to do.

[Old Deputy]