Hiring a private investigator is not something most
people will ever have to do. So you may have no idea how to start, or
even what questions to ask. This blog is
designed to help you identify what factors to consider when you decide you need
to hire a private investigator.
In Arizona the vast majority of private
investigators work for attorneys. Each attorney has their own method of
hiring and usually work based off of referrals from other attorneys. So
one place to start is to call an attorney you know and ask for a recommendation. We hope that if you ever need a private
investigator the information below will help you make a well informed decision.
If you have come to the point to where you are considering
hiring a P.I. something has gone really wrong or the police just won't or can't
help you.
One of the most important questions to ask your
potential P.I is are you licensed in
Arizona to do the work? This is one of the simplest things you as a
client can do. You can simply go to http://webapps.azdps.gov/public_inq/sgrd/ShowLicenseStatus.action or
Google search Arizona Department of Public Safety Private Investigator.
We would also suggest calling the licensing unit to ask if there has been
any complaints submitted, if they have ever been sanctioned or suspended and
what the outcome if any of the complaint. Once this step is complete you
can be confidant that the person you are about to contact is licensed and has
an active insurance bond.
Obviously your first contact with any private
investigator will be you explaining your specific situation to the proper
person. What I mean by proper person is an actual investigator not just
someone who answers the phone. You as a client do have a responsibility
at this point to disclose the whole story not just what you think the private
investigator needs to know. This is a vital step, in order for the
company to properly estimate time and resources they will have to allocate to
you they truly need to know everything regarding
your specific case. Things you leave out now, because they are embarrassing or
you don’t want to mention them, can end up costing you more in the long
run. Leaving out a crucial detail can
even destroy your investigation before it begins.
You need to know who you are going to be dealing
with at the company you choose to hire. For instance at JB National Investigations
you will never have to speak with someone who is not intimately familiar with
your case. It is possible you could have 1-5 investigators assigned to
your case depending on the complexity. It is important to you as the
client not to waste your time speaking to other employees or investigators who
know nothing of your case. There should be one main point of contact for
you to discuss your case issues. If the firm cannot promise this to you
either verbally or in writing we suggest you move on to someone who can.
Depending on what type of case you are referring to
an investigations firm you should ask for work samples (written reports),
investigators resumes who will be working your case and the firms professional
references. Again if a firm is unwilling to give any of this to you move
on to another private investigations firm who will. At JB National
Investigations we are happy to provide you with resumes of the investigators
who will be working your case, professional references as well as at least one
previous written report as it relates to your case.
Once you have reviewed the documents the firm has
given you there are several things you need to be looking at. The most
important being the layout and content of the supplied reports and resumes.
Did the report only contain facts or did it include speculation with no evidence
to back up that speculation? Was it easy to understand and read?
Did it look professional? Were there any obvious grammatical
errors? Do they have the experience to complete your case professionally?
You will immediately know whether or not you are engaging experienced
professionals by reviewing these documents.
Once you are comfortable with your investigator you
should request a contract. Most private investigation firms in Arizona do
require a retainer to engage their services. Before you sign this
contract you should at a minimum have received a written proposal documenting
what the firm has committed to providing you, their
hourly cost, an estimate of time needed to complete your case, and a date as to
when your case should be completed. If the firm does not supply this to
you ask them for it. As stated previously if they refuse to provide you
with the information you have requested move on to another private investigator
who will. There are cases that have been too complex to give an exact
date for completion. You should however receive an estimate.
Now that you have given your hard earned retainer
to an investigative firm you should expect from them exactly what they have
promised. If they are not holding up to their end of the contract, first
attempt to resolve the issue with the owner or manager of the firm. There
is likely a good reason for their issue, if there is it should be communicated
to you long before it becomes a problem. Should you still not be
satisfied we would recommend filing a complaint with the Arizona Department of
Public Safety Licensing Unit. They should be more than happy to help you
resolve your dispute.
We truly hope this helps you make an educated
choice when hiring a private investigator in Arizona or any other state where
one may be required.
If you have any questions or would like to know
more about JB National Investigations in Phoenix Arizona please email me
personally or visit our site at www.jbnationalinvestigations.com
John Hopper
Director of Investigative Services
JB National Investigations, LLC
john@jbnational.com
480-217-0320
No comments:
Post a Comment