What can Private Investigators do?

As I sit down and think what to write in my first blog, several questions come to mind. What is a blog? Why do people read them? Should I even give my two cents? What are the ramifications of someone reading my blog and following my advice? Is this really what I want to do? What if someone doesn’t agree with me? What if I am wrong?

Thinking about this I have come up with a few answers. A blog, for me, is a way for me to share my ideas and experiences as a former Police Officer to an audience that may or may not need my help. It is ways for me to communicate to an audience and connect with a community, while providing some insight on a situation. Hopefully as you read through this blog, and the others to come, we both can educate each other and become better informed while gaining the necessary tools to help our communities.

So here is it is my first blog, “What can a Private Investigator do?” I choose to start here partially with a self-serving motive. As a Licensed Private Investigator with my own Agency I have found out that there are some misconceptions about what a P.I. can and can’t do. I mean we all have seen the movies and TV shows of the guy hired to follow and report on the cheating spouse.

Shows like Cheaters spin the role of a P.I. in a glamor drama frenzy scene for the word to see. Yes I have sat in front of my TV watching the drama unfold. Shows like Magnum P.I. and the Rockford files also give us a glimpse into this world makes us think that the word of a PI is an exciting and romantic story line. In reality, it is more like long hours in a hot car with trash spewed all over waiting for someone or something to happen.

Let’s talk about what a PI can do, at least in Maryland. Keep in mind this will not cover Investigators that are Fraud Investigators or other classifications of Investigators, just Private Investigator in the classic sense.

Under current Maryland law a Private Investigator, also known a Private Eye or Private Detective is someone who is licensed by the Maryland State Police Licensing Division to conduct investigations for hire.

There are two laws in Maryland that spell out what a P.I. can do. Under the current laws, a P.I. can conduct investigations for any crimes that have been committed, assumed to have been committed or threatened to have been committed.

They can investigate the identity, habits, conduct, movement, location, affiliations, associations, transactions, reputation, or character of any person(s); the credibility of a witness or of any other individual; the location of a missing individual; the location or recovery of lost or stolen property; the origin or cause of or responsibility for, a fire, an accident, any damage to or loss of property; or an injury to an individual; the affiliation, connection, or relation of any person with an organization or other person; or the activities, conduct, efficiency, loyalty, or honesty of any employee, agent, contractor, or subcontractor.

They can secure evidence for use before any investigating committee, board of award, or board of arbitration or for use in the trial of any civil or criminal cause; non-uniformed personal protection; or conducting an investigation to locate or apprehend a fugitive from justice.

A Private Investigator cannot investigate someone to establish their credit worthiness or financial standing. They cannot perform any monitoring of an electronically controlled burglar or fire alarm system with a central unit; or make a marketing survey.

Confused yet? Gotta tell you, I was.

So in a nutshell a Private Investigator is someone who is licensed by the Maryland State Police to investigate criminal acts weather they have happened, may have happened or have been threatened to happen.

A Private Investigator can investigate the employees you suspect of stealing from you or that you suspect are committing fraud by submitting factious insurance claims.

PI’s can collect and present evidence for criminal and civil cases in a court room or administrative settings and locate missing persons.

They can also locate, apprehend fugitives from justice as long as they are not licensed by the Insurance Commissioner for Maryland as Bail Bondsman.

P.I.s can find fault/causes in cases of Personal Injury and motor vehicle accidents.

A Private Investigator cannot investigate someone to establish their credit worthiness or financial standing. They can do background checks for to determine criminal history, resume accuracy and driving history.

So whether you have been a victim of a crime that has been committed to you or you assume someone has committed a crime against you or even if someone threats to commit a crime against you a Private Detective can assist you.

Most of the time we think of Private Investigators running around following the cheating spouse or significate other, long hours in a hot car with food trash all over his dash board. However we can see there are quite a few things that Private Investigators actually do.

If you have read this far, my many thanks, this is just the first in a series of monthly blogs I plan to put together. Topics will range from Personal Safety, Crime Prevention to just plain old useful information.

Next time…..”Should I hire a Private Investigator?”