by PI Telegraph, September 22, 2012
I lament the article in today’s Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Private detectives are out of control in Britain’. Although the article, written by Jake Wallis Simons, a well-respected journalist and author, is an effective piece of persuasive writing; for me, the subject matter is somewhat tired and worn – an old chestnut which brings nothing new to the ‘table’ in respect of issues within our industry.
Whatever there is to say about the private investigation industry has already been adequately explored and analysed by public enquiries such as the ‘Leveson enquiry’. And as a consequence is in the process of being addressed by means of the implementation of a licensing scheme.
We are all more than aware of the previous activities of Southern Investigations as well as one or two other individuals that were employed by journalists; therefore to continue to bring their activities into play whenever a newspaper article is written only goes to show that Southern Investigations and those individuals are in the minority – illustrating that illegal activities are not the norm within our industry.
Contrary to what Jake Simons says, the reputation of the private investigation industry has by no means taken another turn for the worse this week; rather, it is the reputation of Southern Investigations that has slipped further into the mire. The majority of private investigators in the UK can still operate with their head held high knowing that what they provide is a valuable and entirely legal service to their clients.
As private investigators we are perhaps not familiar or comfortable in dealing with attention from the media. We naively believe that when we are contacted by a journalist for help with ‘their story’ that somehow it is a chance to get some PR – some free media exposure. Perhaps we will get a chance to appear on TV or maybe the name of our agency will appear in mainstream print.
Consider this before you ask an investigative journalist on a ‘ride along’: it is not the job of a journalist to act as your publicist. Why would a journalist, who is in search of a ‘scoop’, be concerned with your public image? Journalists are not there to write nice things about you or your agency – good news does not sell newspapers or hook viewers. Bad news and controversy is what sells news. The exposure that results from an ‘uninformed’ handling of the media very rarely results in positive PR – it more often than not ends in crisis for you and your business.
Next time you think to invite a journalist to ‘shadow’ you on confidential assignments or feel the urge to share your trade secrets – think again and be mindful that nothing is ever off the record.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Private Investigator Constable Campaign: Complaint Questions Legality of Expenses
by Lindsey Collum, Sep. 10, 2012, Arizona Republic News
Authorities say a self-styled border-sheriffs group that took steps to legitimize its support of a write-in constable candidate in Pinal County has not gone far enough.
Gila County prosecutors investigating a campaign-finance complaint against the group say that although Southwest Border Sheriffs is now a registered political committee, it missed an Aug. 31 deadline to submit an accounting of its expenses leading up to the Aug. 28 primary.
Bryan Chambers, chief deputy attorney for Gila County, set the deadline in an Aug. 22 e-mail to the committee’s chairman and treasurer. A copy of the e-mail was provided to The Arizona Republic as part of a public-records request. In the e-mail, Chambers cited state law enumerating what records the committee treasurer must keep and when they should be turned over.
“Pursuant to this requirement, please provide to me the name and address of every person or entity to whom Southwest Border Sheriffs made any expenditure advocating the election of Ryan Sudrick for Constable,” Chambers wrote to committee chairman Mike Presnell and committee treasurer Chad Elliget. He also asked for the date, amount and purpose of each expenditure.
In addition to Sudrick, Southwest Border Sheriffs endorsed Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, county-attorney candidate Lando Voyles and supervisor candidate Cheryl Chase. It also endorsed Republicans running for sheriff in Pima and Gila counties.
A campaign-finance violation is a civil penalty punishable by up to three times the offending amount.
The requirement stands despite Sudrick’s primary loss. He was among six write-in candidates seeking the Republican nomination for constable of the Apache Junction Justice Court. Ron LeDuc, whom county supervisors appointed in July to fill a vacancy, won the primary and will be unopposed in the Nov. 6 general election.
Records show Presnell and Elliget registered their committee with the Pinal County Elections Department on Aug. 17, after Chambers made multiple attempts to reach them by phone and e-mail regarding a campaign-finance complaint involving Southwest Border Sheriffs.
The group had been accused of paying for “hundreds” of signs for Sudrick posted in Apache Junction and the San Tan Valley area.
The complaint, filed by one of Sudrick’s competitors, questioned the legality of the expense.
At the time, Southwest Border Sheriffs was not a registered political committee with the state or county, and Sudrick had filed a $500 threshold statement, meaning his campaign wouldn’t spend or receive more than $500.
Anything more than that would have required him to file a statement of organization and submit campaign-finance reports.
Chambers was assigned the case shortly after the Pinal County Attorney’s Office sent it to Gila County for investigation, citing a potential conflict of interest.
Presnell wrote Chambers on Aug. 20 and said Sudrick had “no idea some of us would be buying and putting up his signs for his run for constable.”
“We have not even been billed for the signs yet and do not know what the total invoice will be,” Presnell wrote. “We in no way did this to influence any election what so ever. None other than to help Ryan out.”
Sudrick, a licensed private investigator, didn’t address whether he knew about the signs paid for by Southwest Border Sheriffs in e-mail records obtained by The Republic.
He responded Aug. 17 to Chambers’ two e-mails requesting campaign receipts and an explanation for what he knew about Presnell’s signs.
“I attached a pic of my order,” Sudrick wrote, referring to a $487.77 invoice for 40 small lawn signs and 1,000 postcards. “That’s all I have spent. Call me if you have any other questions. Thanks.”
Chambers said the investigation is ongoing.
Authorities say a self-styled border-sheriffs group that took steps to legitimize its support of a write-in constable candidate in Pinal County has not gone far enough.
Gila County prosecutors investigating a campaign-finance complaint against the group say that although Southwest Border Sheriffs is now a registered political committee, it missed an Aug. 31 deadline to submit an accounting of its expenses leading up to the Aug. 28 primary.
Bryan Chambers, chief deputy attorney for Gila County, set the deadline in an Aug. 22 e-mail to the committee’s chairman and treasurer. A copy of the e-mail was provided to The Arizona Republic as part of a public-records request. In the e-mail, Chambers cited state law enumerating what records the committee treasurer must keep and when they should be turned over.
“Pursuant to this requirement, please provide to me the name and address of every person or entity to whom Southwest Border Sheriffs made any expenditure advocating the election of Ryan Sudrick for Constable,” Chambers wrote to committee chairman Mike Presnell and committee treasurer Chad Elliget. He also asked for the date, amount and purpose of each expenditure.
In addition to Sudrick, Southwest Border Sheriffs endorsed Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, county-attorney candidate Lando Voyles and supervisor candidate Cheryl Chase. It also endorsed Republicans running for sheriff in Pima and Gila counties.
A campaign-finance violation is a civil penalty punishable by up to three times the offending amount.
The requirement stands despite Sudrick’s primary loss. He was among six write-in candidates seeking the Republican nomination for constable of the Apache Junction Justice Court. Ron LeDuc, whom county supervisors appointed in July to fill a vacancy, won the primary and will be unopposed in the Nov. 6 general election.
Records show Presnell and Elliget registered their committee with the Pinal County Elections Department on Aug. 17, after Chambers made multiple attempts to reach them by phone and e-mail regarding a campaign-finance complaint involving Southwest Border Sheriffs.
The group had been accused of paying for “hundreds” of signs for Sudrick posted in Apache Junction and the San Tan Valley area.
The complaint, filed by one of Sudrick’s competitors, questioned the legality of the expense.
At the time, Southwest Border Sheriffs was not a registered political committee with the state or county, and Sudrick had filed a $500 threshold statement, meaning his campaign wouldn’t spend or receive more than $500.
Anything more than that would have required him to file a statement of organization and submit campaign-finance reports.
Chambers was assigned the case shortly after the Pinal County Attorney’s Office sent it to Gila County for investigation, citing a potential conflict of interest.
Presnell wrote Chambers on Aug. 20 and said Sudrick had “no idea some of us would be buying and putting up his signs for his run for constable.”
“We have not even been billed for the signs yet and do not know what the total invoice will be,” Presnell wrote. “We in no way did this to influence any election what so ever. None other than to help Ryan out.”
Sudrick, a licensed private investigator, didn’t address whether he knew about the signs paid for by Southwest Border Sheriffs in e-mail records obtained by The Republic.
He responded Aug. 17 to Chambers’ two e-mails requesting campaign receipts and an explanation for what he knew about Presnell’s signs.
“I attached a pic of my order,” Sudrick wrote, referring to a $487.77 invoice for 40 small lawn signs and 1,000 postcards. “That’s all I have spent. Call me if you have any other questions. Thanks.”
Chambers said the investigation is ongoing.
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