PRIVATE DETECTIVE
LICENSING REQUIREMENTS
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Here is some basic job
information on the
general duties of a
Private Detective (from
the US Department of
Labor).
Private Detectives and
Investigators Job
Information
Work hours are often
irregular, and the work
can be dangerous.
About 30 percent are
self-employed.
Applicants typically
have related experience
in areas such as law
enforcement, insurance,
the military, or
government investigative
or intelligence jobs.
Keen competition is
expected for most jobs
despite
faster-than-average
employment growth.
Nature of the Work
Private detectives and
investigators assist
individuals, businesses,
and attorneys by finding
and analyzing
information. They
connect small clues to
solve mysteries or to
uncover facts about
legal, financial, or
personal matters.
Private detectives and
investigators offer many
services, including
executive, corporate,
and celebrity
protection;
pre-employment
verification; and
individual background
profiles. Some
investigate computer
crimes, such as identity
theft, harassing
e-mails, and illegal
downloading of
copyrighted material.
They also provide
assistance in criminal
and civil liability
cases, insurance claims
and fraud, child custody
and protection cases,
missing persons cases,
and premarital
screening. They are
sometimes hired to
investigate individuals
to prove or disprove
infidelity.
Private detectives and
investigators have many
methods to choose from
when determining the
facts in a case. Much of
their work is done using
a computer, recovering
deleted e-mails and
documents, for example.
They may also perform
computer database
searches or work with
someone who does.
Computers allow
investigators to quickly
obtain huge amounts of
information such as a
subject’s prior arrests,
convictions, and civil
legal judgments;
telephone numbers; motor
vehicle registrations;
association and club
memberships; and even
photographs.
Detectives and
investigators also
perform various other
types of surveillance or
searches. To verify
facts, such as an
individual’s income or
place of employment,
they may make phone
calls or visit a
subject’s workplace. In
other cases, especially
those involving missing
persons and background
checks, investigators
interview people to
gather as much
information as possible
about an individual.
Sometimes investigators
go undercover,
pretending to be someone
else to get information
or to observe a subject
inconspicuously.
Most detectives and
investigators are
trained to perform
physical surveillance,
which may be high-tech
or low-tech. They may
observe a site, such as
the home of a subject,
from an inconspicuous
location or a vehicle.
Using photographic and
video cameras,
binoculars, and cell
phones, detectives often
use surveillance to
gather information on an
individual; this can be
quite time consuming.
The duties of private
detectives and
investigators depend on
the needs of their
clients. In cases that
involve fraudulent
workers’ compensation
claims, for example,
investigators may carry
out long-term covert
observation of a person
suspected of fraud. If
an investigator observes
him or her performing an
activity that
contradicts injuries
stated in a worker’s
compensation claim, the
investigator would take
video or still
photographs to document
the activity and report
it to the client.
Detectives and
investigators must be
mindful of the law when
conducting
investigations. They
keep up with Federal,
State, and local
legislation, such as
privacy laws and other
legal issues affecting
their work. The legality
of certain methods may
be unclear, and
investigators and
detectives must make
judgment calls when
deciding how to pursue a
case. They must also
know how to collect
evidence properly so
that they do not
compromise its
admissibility in court.
Private detectives and
investigators often
specialize. Those who
focus on intellectual
property theft, for
example, investigate and
document acts of piracy,
help clients stop
illegal activity, and
provide intelligence for
prosecution and civil
action. Other
investigators specialize
in developing financial
profiles and asset
searches. Their reports
reflect information
gathered through
interviews,
investigation and
surveillance, and
research, including
review of public
documents.
Computer forensic
investigators specialize
in recovering,
analyzing, and
presenting data from
computers for use in
investigations or as
evidence. They determine
the details of
intrusions into computer
systems, recover data
from encrypted or erased
files, and recover
e-mails and deleted
passwords.
Legal investigators
assist in preparing
criminal defenses,
locating witnesses,
serving legal documents,
interviewing police and
prospective witnesses,
and gathering and
reviewing evidence.
Legal investigators also
may collect information
on the parties to the
litigation, take
photographs, testify in
court, and assemble
evidence and reports for
trials. They often work
for law firms or
lawyers.
Corporate investigators
conduct internal and
external investigations
for corporations. In
internal investigations,
they may investigate
drug use in the
workplace, ensure that
expense accounts are not
abused, or determine
whether employees are
stealing merchandise or
information. External
investigations attempt
to thwart criminal
schemes from outside the
corporation, such as
fraudulent billing by a
supplier.
Financial investigators
may be hired to develop
confidential financial
profiles of individuals
or companies that are
prospective parties to
large financial
transactions. These
investigators often are
certified public
accountants (CPAs) who
work closely with
investment bankers and
other accountants. They
might also search for
assets in order to
recover damages awarded
by a court in fraud or
theft cases.
Detectives who work for
retail stores or hotels
are responsible for
controlling losses and
protecting assets. Store
detectives, also known
as loss prevention
agents, safeguard the
assets of retail stores
by apprehending anyone
attempting to steal
merchandise or destroy
store property. They
prevent theft by
shoplifters, vendor
representatives,
delivery personnel and
even store employees.
Store detectives also
conduct periodic
inspections of stock
areas, dressing rooms,
and restrooms, and
sometimes assist in
opening and closing the
store. They may prepare
loss prevention and
security reports for
management and testify
in court against people
they apprehend. Hotel
detectives protect
guests of the
establishment from theft
of their belongings and
preserve order in hotel
restaurants and bars.
They also may keep
undesirable individuals,
such as known thieves,
off the premises.
Work environment. Many
detectives and
investigators spend time
away from their offices
conducting interviews or
doing surveillance, but
some work in their
office most of the day
conducting computer
searches and making
phone calls. When the
investigator is working
on a case, the
environment might range
from plush boardrooms to
seedy bars. Store and
hotel detectives work in
the businesses that they
protect.
Investigators generally
work alone, but they
sometimes work with
others during
surveillance or when
following a subject in
order to avoid detection
by the subject. Some of
the work involves
confrontation, so the
job can be stressful and
dangerous. Some
situations call for the
investigator to be
armed, such as certain
bodyguard assignments
for corporate or
celebrity clients. In
most cases, however, a
weapon is not necessary
because the purpose of
the work is gathering
information and not law
enforcement or criminal
apprehension. Owners of
investigative agencies
have the added stress of
having to deal with
demanding and sometimes
distraught clients.
Private detectives and
investigators often work
irregular hours because
of the need to conduct
surveillance and contact
people who are not
available during normal
working hours. Early
morning, evening,
weekend, and holiday
work is common.
Training, Other
Qualifications, and
Advancement
Most private detectives
and investigators have
some college education
and previous experience
in investigative work.
In most States, they are
required to be licensed.
Education and training.
There are no formal
education requirements
for most private
detective and
investigator jobs,
although many have
college degrees. Courses
in criminal justice and
police science are
helpful to aspiring
private detectives and
investigators. Although
related experience is
usually required, some
people enter the
occupation directly
after graduation from
college, generally with
an associate or
bachelor’s degree in
criminal justice or
police science. The 2006
educational attainment
for private detectives
and investigators, in
percent, was as follows:
High school graduate or
equivalent 18%
Some college, no degree
26
Associate's degree
8
Bachelor's degree
34
Master's degree 13
Professional degree or
PhD 3
Most corporate
investigators must have
a bachelor’s degree,
preferably in a
business-related field.
Some corporate
investigators have a
master’s degree in
business administration
or a law degree; others
are CPAs.
For computer forensics
work, a computer science
or accounting degree is
more helpful than a
criminal justice degree.
An accounting degree
provides good background
knowledge for
investigating fraud
through computer
forensics. Either of
these two degrees
provides a good starting
point after which
investigative techniques
can be learned on the
job. Alternatively, many
colleges and
universities now offer
certificate programs,
requiring from 15 to 21
credits, in computer
forensics.
These programs are most
beneficial to law
enforcement officers,
paralegals, or others
who are already involved
in investigative work. A
few colleges and
universities now offer
bachelor’s or master’s
degrees in computer
forensics, and others
are planning to begin
offering such degrees.
Most of the work of
private detectives and
investigators is learned
on the job. New
investigators will
usually start by
learning how to use
databases to gather
information. The
training they receive
depends on the type of
firm. At an insurance
company, a new
investigator will learn
to recognize insurance
fraud. At a firm that
specializes in domestic
cases, a new worker
might observe a senior
investigator performing
surveillance. Learning
by doing, in which new
investigators are put on
cases and gain skills as
they go, is a common
approach. Corporate
investigators hired by
large companies,
however, may receive
formal training in
business practices,
management structure,
and various
finance-related topics.
Because they work with
changing technologies,
computer forensic
investigators never stop
training. They learn the
latest methods of fraud
detection and new
software programs and
operating systems by
attending conferences
and courses offered by
software vendors and
professional
associations.
Licensure. The majority
of States and the
District of Columbia
require private
detectives and
investigators to be
licensed. Licensing
requirements vary,
however. Seven
States—Alabama, Alaska,
Colorado, Idaho,
Mississippi, Missouri,
and South Dakota—have no
Statewide licensing
requirements, some
States have few
requirements, and many
others have stringent
regulations. For
example, the Bureau of
Security and
Investigative Services
of the California
Department of Consumer
Affairs requires private
investigators to be 18
years of age or older;
have a combination of
education in police
science, criminal law,
or justice and
experience equaling 3
years (6,000 hours);
pass a criminal history
background check by the
California Department of
Justice and the FBI (in
most States, convicted
felons cannot be issued
a license); and receive
a qualifying score on a
2-hour written
examination covering
laws and regulations.
Detectives and
investigators in all
States who carry
handguns must meet
additional requirements
for a firearms permit.
There are no licenses
specifically for
computer forensic
investigators, but some
States require them to
be licensed private
investigators. Even
where licensure is not
required, a private
investigator license is
useful to some because
it allows them to
perform follow-up or
complementary tasks.
Other qualifications.
Private detectives and
investigators typically
have previous experience
in other occupations.
Some have worked in
other occupations for
insurance or collections
companies, in the
private security
industry, or as
paralegals. Many
investigators enter the
field after serving in
law enforcement, the
military, government
auditing and
investigative positions,
or Federal intelligence
jobs. Former law
enforcement officers,
military investigators,
and government agents,
who are frequently able
to retire after 25 years
of service, often become
private detectives or
investigators in a
second career.
Others enter from jobs
in finance, accounting,
commercial credit,
investigative reporting,
insurance, and law.
These individuals often
can apply their prior
work experience in a
related investigative
specialty.
Most computer forensic
investigators learn
their trade while
working for a law
enforcement agency,
either as a sworn
officer or a civilian
computer forensic
analyst. They are
trained at their
agency’s computer
forensics training
program. Many people
enter law enforcement
specifically to get this
training and establish a
reputation before moving
to the private sector.
For private detective
and investigator jobs,
most employers look for
individuals with
ingenuity, persistence,
and assertiveness. A
candidate must not be
afraid of confrontation,
should communicate well,
and should be able to
think on his or her
feet. Good interviewing
and interrogation skills
also are important and
usually are acquired in
earlier careers in law
enforcement or other
fields. Because the
courts often are the
judge of a properly
conducted investigation,
the investigator must be
able to present the
facts in a manner that a
jury will believe. The
screening process for
potential employees
typically includes a
background check for a
criminal history.
Certification and
advancement. Some
investigators receive
certification from a
professional
organization to
demonstrate competency
in a field. For example,
the National Association
of Legal Investigators
confers the Certified
Legal Investigator
designation to licensed
investigators who devote
a majority of their
practice to negligence
or criminal defense
investigations. To
receive the designation,
applicants must satisfy
experience, educational,
and continuing-training
requirements and must
pass written and oral
exams.
ASIS, a trade
organization for the
security industry,
offers the Professional
Certified Investigator
certification. To
qualify, applicants must
have a high school
diploma or equivalent;
have 5 years of
investigations
experience, including 2
years managing
investigations; and must
pass an exam.
Most private-detective
agencies are small, with
little room for
advancement. Usually,
there are no defined
ranks or steps, so
advancement takes the
form of increases in
salary and assignment
status. Many detectives
and investigators start
their own firms after
gaining a few years of
experience. Corporate
and legal investigators
may rise to supervisor
or manager of the
security or
investigations
department.
Employment
Private detectives and
investigators held about
52,000 jobs in 2006.
About 30 percent were
self-employed, including
many for whom
investigative work was a
second job. Around 34
percent of detective and
investigator jobs were
in investigation and
security services,
including private
detective agencies,
while another 9 percent
were in department or
other general
merchandise stores. The
rest worked mostly in
State and local
government, legal
services firms,
employment services
companies, insurance
agencies, and credit
mediation
establishments,
including banks and
other depository
institutions.
Job Outlook
Keen competition is
expected for most jobs
despite
faster-than-average
employment growth.
Employment change.
Employment of private
detectives and
investigators is
expected to grow 18
percent over the 2006-16
decade, faster than the
average for all
occupations. Increased
demand for private
detectives and
investigators will
result from heightened
security concerns,
increased litigation,
and the need to protect
confidential information
and property of all
kinds. The proliferation
of criminal activity on
the Internet, such as
identity theft,
spamming, e-mail
harassment, and illegal
downloading of
copyrighted materials,
will also increase the
demand for private
investigators. Employee
background checks,
conducted by private
investigators, will
become standard for an
increasing number of
jobs. Growing financial
activity worldwide will
increase the demand for
investigators to control
internal and external
financial losses, to
monitor competitors, and
to prevent industrial
spying.
Job prospects.
Keen competition is
expected for most jobs
because private
detective and
investigator careers
attract many qualified
people, including
relatively young
retirees from law
enforcement and military
careers. The best
opportunities for new
jobseekers will be in
entry-level jobs in
detective agencies or
stores, particularly
large chain and discount
stores that hire
detectives on a
part-time basis.
Opportunities are
expected to be excellent
for qualified computer
forensic investigators.
Projections Data
Projections data
from the National
Employment Matrix
|
Occup. title |
SOC Code
|
Employment
2006
|
Projected
employment
2016
|
Change,
2006-16
|
Number
|
Percent
|
|
Private
detectives and
investigators |
33-9021
|
52,000
|
61,000
|
9,400
|
18
|
|
|
Earnings
Median annual earnings
of salaried private
detectives and
investigators were
$33,750 in May 2006. The
middle 50 percent earned
between $24,180 and
$47,740. The lowest 10
percent earned less than
$19,720, and the highest
10 percent earned more
than $64,380. Earnings
of private detectives
and investigators vary
greatly by employer,
specialty, and
geographic area.
Related Occupations
Private detectives and
investigators often
collect information and
protect the property and
other assets of
companies and
individuals. Others with
related duties include
bill and account
collectors; claims
adjusters, appraisers,
examiners, and
investigators; police
and detectives; and
security guards and
gaming surveillance
officers. Investigators
who specialize in
conducting financial
profiles and asset
searches perform work
closely related to that
of accountants and
auditors, as well as
financial analysts and
personal financial
advisors.
Sources of Additional
Information
For information on local
licensing requirements,
contact your State
Department of Public
Safety, State Division
of Licensing, or local
or State police
headquarters.
Last Modified Date:
December 18, 2007
