Showing posts with label detective. Show all posts
Showing posts with label detective. Show all posts
Monday, January 21, 2013
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Arizona Private Investigations is Here To Help
For a free consultation, call us today at 480-318-9936 or for more information go to our website at www.azprivateeye.com.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Private Investigator Warns of More FLDS Abuses
By Mary Garrigan, Rapid City Journal, Posted Thursday, September 1, 2011
The recent convictions of polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs proves that South Dakota and Custer County law enforcement officials should do more to investigate a Jeffs-affiliated compound near Pringle, said an expert on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Sam Brower is a private investigator from Cedar City, Utah, who spent seven years investigating the FLDS after being hired by a FLDS member who was engaged in a dispute with the group. Brower provided law enforcement with information that helped a Texas jury convict Jeffs of the sexual assault of two underage girls, a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old whom he had taken as "spiritual brides." He has also written a book about Jeffs titled "Prophet's Prey," which hit bookstores Tuesday.
Brower is convinced that underage marriages also occur at the FLDS site near Pringle, though he said he has no evidence to prove it.
Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler was on the compound Aug. 4, the same day that a jury convicted Jeffs. He was at the 140-acre compound to accompany staff from the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. DENR was there to inspect a concrete batch plant and construction-related dirt runoff. The concrete is being used in the construction of two agricultural buildings.
Wheeler tries to visit the compound every week or so and usually accompanies government officials onto the property. He knows he doesn't see all of the compound's residents on his visits but said he has never seen any obviously pregnant underage girls. Wheeler didn't hear any conversation about Jeffs that day, nor find any evidence of child brides during any of his frequent visits.
"At this time, I don't," he said when asked if he has any evidence of child sexual abuse. "If we did, we'd act on it."
"The day that I was in there, there were women around, with kids, doing things. One thing I have noticed is that most of the women and guys that I see are fairly close to the same age," Wheeler said.
Brower was raised in the mainstream The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has no ties to the FLDS. He has been to the Pringle area three times in the course of his FLDS investigations, once with Jon Krakauer, the author of "Under the Banner of Heaven," a best-selling book that examines the ideologies of both mainstream and fundamentalist Mormons. Brower's book, however, deals mainly with activities at FLDS communities in Utah, Arizona and Texas.
Brower is familiar with the leadership in Pringle, however, and said he didn't see anyone from that compound in the San Angelo courtroom during Jeffs' trial. Jurors and spectators, including Brower, heard a tape recording of "a panting, pervert prophet raping a little girl," he said. That tape was confiscated by authorities the day the fugitive Jeffs was apprehended in 2006, but this trial was the first time it was used as evidence against him. Previously, a Utah judge sealed it as prejudicial and a federal judge said it was protected as "religious material."
"I hope ... that attorney generals in other states, including South Dakota, model their performance more after the attorney general in Texas than the one in Utah ... and don't let these atrocities continue," Brower said.
Among the mounds of evidence removed from the FLDS ranch in El Dorado, Texas, were diaries indicating that Jeffs has been at Pringle and directed its activities. Brower believes some of his estimated 80 wives may be living there now.
"I don't know that for a fact, but I think that's a good possibility that they are," Brower said. "It's a place of refuge for people in the hierarchy of the church. Only the most righteous are allowed to go there."
Meanwhile, the Texas verdict sends a clear message to FLDS leadership in Pringle and elsewhere, Brower said. "In the United States, we're not going to tolerate people raping little girls."
He warns South Dakotans that other jurisdictions that have taken a "hands-off" approach toward the FLDS have regretted it. "Everybody that believes it's easier just to look the other way has paid a price for it," he said.
Brower contends the FLDS is a "large criminal organization" that uses unfair labor practices to underbid legitimate existing businesses, particularly in the construction trades. His book recounts the plight of women who have left the FLDS, as well as "lost boys" -- young males with little education and no money -- who have been banished from their families and communities at the whim of church leadership.
Brower said South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley to take a "proactive" approach to the FLDS, even if no victims speak out.
"If I was there, I would be knocking on Marty Jackley's door, asking for an investigation; the law should follow them around," he said.
A spokeswoman for Jackley said her office wouldn't confirm or deny the existence of any investigation of the Pringle-area community.
"As with any matter, if we receive information regarding potential criminal activity, our policy is to investigate that information and see criminal prosecution if justified," Jackley said by email.
Brower said breaking the secrecy of the compound requires proactive investigation.
"It's much easier for people to look the other way. They don't want the headache, the hassle. It's the easiest thing to do," he said. "I know it's not easy. More than anybody, I know how hard it is to crack this religious facade. But human suffering is caused because of it."
Brower doesn't expect Jeffs' prison term to have much economic impact on Pringle, which is largely financed by church followers elsewhere, he said.
"They're completely supported by people in Shortcreek," he said. That community on the Utah/Arizona border is hailing Jeffs as a martyr for his religious beliefs, complete with a 38-foot-tall statue of the prophet that it had shipped from Texas to Shortcreek recently.
In it, Jeffs holds a Bible with one hand and a little girl by the other.
The recent convictions of polygamist church leader Warren Jeffs proves that South Dakota and Custer County law enforcement officials should do more to investigate a Jeffs-affiliated compound near Pringle, said an expert on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Sam Brower is a private investigator from Cedar City, Utah, who spent seven years investigating the FLDS after being hired by a FLDS member who was engaged in a dispute with the group. Brower provided law enforcement with information that helped a Texas jury convict Jeffs of the sexual assault of two underage girls, a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old whom he had taken as "spiritual brides." He has also written a book about Jeffs titled "Prophet's Prey," which hit bookstores Tuesday.
Brower is convinced that underage marriages also occur at the FLDS site near Pringle, though he said he has no evidence to prove it.
Custer County Sheriff Rick Wheeler was on the compound Aug. 4, the same day that a jury convicted Jeffs. He was at the 140-acre compound to accompany staff from the state Department of Environment and Natural Resources. DENR was there to inspect a concrete batch plant and construction-related dirt runoff. The concrete is being used in the construction of two agricultural buildings.
Wheeler tries to visit the compound every week or so and usually accompanies government officials onto the property. He knows he doesn't see all of the compound's residents on his visits but said he has never seen any obviously pregnant underage girls. Wheeler didn't hear any conversation about Jeffs that day, nor find any evidence of child brides during any of his frequent visits.
"At this time, I don't," he said when asked if he has any evidence of child sexual abuse. "If we did, we'd act on it."
"The day that I was in there, there were women around, with kids, doing things. One thing I have noticed is that most of the women and guys that I see are fairly close to the same age," Wheeler said.
Brower was raised in the mainstream The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has no ties to the FLDS. He has been to the Pringle area three times in the course of his FLDS investigations, once with Jon Krakauer, the author of "Under the Banner of Heaven," a best-selling book that examines the ideologies of both mainstream and fundamentalist Mormons. Brower's book, however, deals mainly with activities at FLDS communities in Utah, Arizona and Texas.
Brower is familiar with the leadership in Pringle, however, and said he didn't see anyone from that compound in the San Angelo courtroom during Jeffs' trial. Jurors and spectators, including Brower, heard a tape recording of "a panting, pervert prophet raping a little girl," he said. That tape was confiscated by authorities the day the fugitive Jeffs was apprehended in 2006, but this trial was the first time it was used as evidence against him. Previously, a Utah judge sealed it as prejudicial and a federal judge said it was protected as "religious material."
"I hope ... that attorney generals in other states, including South Dakota, model their performance more after the attorney general in Texas than the one in Utah ... and don't let these atrocities continue," Brower said.
Among the mounds of evidence removed from the FLDS ranch in El Dorado, Texas, were diaries indicating that Jeffs has been at Pringle and directed its activities. Brower believes some of his estimated 80 wives may be living there now.
"I don't know that for a fact, but I think that's a good possibility that they are," Brower said. "It's a place of refuge for people in the hierarchy of the church. Only the most righteous are allowed to go there."
Meanwhile, the Texas verdict sends a clear message to FLDS leadership in Pringle and elsewhere, Brower said. "In the United States, we're not going to tolerate people raping little girls."
He warns South Dakotans that other jurisdictions that have taken a "hands-off" approach toward the FLDS have regretted it. "Everybody that believes it's easier just to look the other way has paid a price for it," he said.
Brower contends the FLDS is a "large criminal organization" that uses unfair labor practices to underbid legitimate existing businesses, particularly in the construction trades. His book recounts the plight of women who have left the FLDS, as well as "lost boys" -- young males with little education and no money -- who have been banished from their families and communities at the whim of church leadership.
Brower said South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley to take a "proactive" approach to the FLDS, even if no victims speak out.
"If I was there, I would be knocking on Marty Jackley's door, asking for an investigation; the law should follow them around," he said.
A spokeswoman for Jackley said her office wouldn't confirm or deny the existence of any investigation of the Pringle-area community.
"As with any matter, if we receive information regarding potential criminal activity, our policy is to investigate that information and see criminal prosecution if justified," Jackley said by email.
Brower said breaking the secrecy of the compound requires proactive investigation.
"It's much easier for people to look the other way. They don't want the headache, the hassle. It's the easiest thing to do," he said. "I know it's not easy. More than anybody, I know how hard it is to crack this religious facade. But human suffering is caused because of it."
Brower doesn't expect Jeffs' prison term to have much economic impact on Pringle, which is largely financed by church followers elsewhere, he said.
"They're completely supported by people in Shortcreek," he said. That community on the Utah/Arizona border is hailing Jeffs as a martyr for his religious beliefs, complete with a 38-foot-tall statue of the prophet that it had shipped from Texas to Shortcreek recently.
In it, Jeffs holds a Bible with one hand and a little girl by the other.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Texas Detective Cracks Murder Case
by Deanna Boyd, Star Telegram, June 28, 2011
Seven times, fingerprints found on duct tape that had been wrapped around Sandra Martin's body were submitted into a fingerprint database with hopes of identifying the Fort Worth woman's killer.
Seven times, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, or AFIS, yielded no match.
But in 2009, after the latest negative result and more than 22 years after Martin's slaying, then-cold case Detective Jose Hernandez had an idea.
Recalling his first homicide case, Hernandez said investigators were successful in finding a database match only after someone sent the prints directly to the Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin.
So Hernandez decided to hand-deliver photographs of the prints himself.
"I decided on this case, why not?" Hernandez testified Tuesday. "Just take it to Austin, to the same laboratory, and see if there's any success."
Weeks later, he received word of a match and a name -- Jay Thayer Williams -- a Dallas Realtor now standing trial in a capital murder case in connection with Martin's Sept. 22, 1986, slaying.
Williams, now 66, is accused of fatally shooting Martin, 27, while in the course of attempting to sexually assault the mother of two inside her southwest Fort Worth home. Martin's two children, then ages 2 and 5, were at home when their mother was killed.
Because prosecutors Kevin Rousseau and Tamla Ray are not seeking the death penalty in the case, if convicted, Williams would automatically be sentenced to life in prison.
In cross-examination, defense attorney Jim Shaw questioned Hernandez on how prints that had recently been deemed not of "AFIS quality" by the Police Department's fingerprint "guru" -- and that had been entered into the AFIS system seven times without success-- could suddenly yield a match.
"The AFIS process involves different stages, different people who enter the information into the system," Hernandez answered.
"If the system is not entered in a precise manner, there could be difficulty in making an identity."
Shaw suggested that the AFIS process is "subjective" and that the fingerprints had been manipulated.
The trial is scheduled to continue today.
Seven times, fingerprints found on duct tape that had been wrapped around Sandra Martin's body were submitted into a fingerprint database with hopes of identifying the Fort Worth woman's killer.
Seven times, the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, or AFIS, yielded no match.
But in 2009, after the latest negative result and more than 22 years after Martin's slaying, then-cold case Detective Jose Hernandez had an idea.
Recalling his first homicide case, Hernandez said investigators were successful in finding a database match only after someone sent the prints directly to the Department of Public Safety headquarters in Austin.
So Hernandez decided to hand-deliver photographs of the prints himself.
"I decided on this case, why not?" Hernandez testified Tuesday. "Just take it to Austin, to the same laboratory, and see if there's any success."
Weeks later, he received word of a match and a name -- Jay Thayer Williams -- a Dallas Realtor now standing trial in a capital murder case in connection with Martin's Sept. 22, 1986, slaying.
Williams, now 66, is accused of fatally shooting Martin, 27, while in the course of attempting to sexually assault the mother of two inside her southwest Fort Worth home. Martin's two children, then ages 2 and 5, were at home when their mother was killed.
Because prosecutors Kevin Rousseau and Tamla Ray are not seeking the death penalty in the case, if convicted, Williams would automatically be sentenced to life in prison.
In cross-examination, defense attorney Jim Shaw questioned Hernandez on how prints that had recently been deemed not of "AFIS quality" by the Police Department's fingerprint "guru" -- and that had been entered into the AFIS system seven times without success-- could suddenly yield a match.
"The AFIS process involves different stages, different people who enter the information into the system," Hernandez answered.
"If the system is not entered in a precise manner, there could be difficulty in making an identity."
Shaw suggested that the AFIS process is "subjective" and that the fingerprints had been manipulated.
The trial is scheduled to continue today.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Private Investigator Finds Homeless Man and Heir to Fortune
Written by Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
A combination of old-fashion private eye pavement pounding and media attention has helped to locate a homeless man who unknowingly inherited a significant sum of money.
David Lundberg, a private investigator and founder of UtahDetective.com, was retained by the family of Max Melitzer after the wanderer inherited a chunk of change that could give him safe haven for the rest of his life.
Melitzer's family lost contact with him in September of 2010 and had to hire the services of an investigator to track him down after he came into his inheritance.
Melitzer has been on the streets for years, floating between Salt Lake City and Ogden and becoming somewhat of a fixture among social service providers such as the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City.
It was there that Lundberg talked with the mission's house manager, Don Hill, and the quest to locate Melitzer took a turn for the positive.
Hill said Melitzer frequently stays at the mission when he is not venturing north to Ogden.
Based on a tip from a KSL listener, Lundberg said Saturday he found Melitzer at Salt Lake's Pioneer Park, where the homeless man was pushing a large grocery cart stuffed with his personal belongings.
Lundberg got on the phone, called Melitzer's relatives in New York and handed the phone to the man.
"I think he was happy to be finally able to connect with his family in New York."
Lundberg said the man has had a rough stretch of bad luck recently.
"He was beat up. His money was taken. His watch was taken. He's been in kind of a surly element the last couple of years."
Lundberg found Melitzer a safe place to stay until his family arrives midweek from New York.
"I want to make sure we get him back to New York, hopefully with his family. Get him in a situation where he has a decent place to live, food, pay his medical costs. He can get on with his life and enjoy himself for a change."
A combination of old-fashion private eye pavement pounding and media attention has helped to locate a homeless man who unknowingly inherited a significant sum of money.
David Lundberg, a private investigator and founder of UtahDetective.com, was retained by the family of Max Melitzer after the wanderer inherited a chunk of change that could give him safe haven for the rest of his life.
Melitzer's family lost contact with him in September of 2010 and had to hire the services of an investigator to track him down after he came into his inheritance.
Melitzer has been on the streets for years, floating between Salt Lake City and Ogden and becoming somewhat of a fixture among social service providers such as the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake City.
It was there that Lundberg talked with the mission's house manager, Don Hill, and the quest to locate Melitzer took a turn for the positive.
Hill said Melitzer frequently stays at the mission when he is not venturing north to Ogden.
Based on a tip from a KSL listener, Lundberg said Saturday he found Melitzer at Salt Lake's Pioneer Park, where the homeless man was pushing a large grocery cart stuffed with his personal belongings.
Lundberg got on the phone, called Melitzer's relatives in New York and handed the phone to the man.
"I think he was happy to be finally able to connect with his family in New York."
Lundberg said the man has had a rough stretch of bad luck recently.
"He was beat up. His money was taken. His watch was taken. He's been in kind of a surly element the last couple of years."
Lundberg found Melitzer a safe place to stay until his family arrives midweek from New York.
"I want to make sure we get him back to New York, hopefully with his family. Get him in a situation where he has a decent place to live, food, pay his medical costs. He can get on with his life and enjoy himself for a change."
Friday, May 13, 2011
How a Private Investigator Can Help You
The following was written by Jeff Kimble, P.I., owner of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. http://www.arizonalegaldocs.com/. It is intended to provide general information regarding the business of private investigations and should not be considered legal advice.
The public perception of the private investigator is varied and nebulous, both from the frequently exaggerated and inaccurate portrayals of "private eyes" in film and television, and also from the simple fact that, compared to other occupations, a relatively small percentage of citizens run across or require the services of a private investigator in the first place.
A simple yet precise definition of a private investigator is one who is employed to collect information. Once the drama, the mystique, and the ridiculous (just watch one episode of Magnum P.I. to get the wrong idea of the investigation business) are stripped from the fictitious versions of the job description, a private investigator is essentially a collector of information. He or she—if ethical, professional, and experienced—knows how to retrieve this information legally, whether through research, observation, or technical means, and then provides this information to his or her client for a fee.
Private investigators are hired by individuals, families, small businesses, large corporations, and even by government entities. Cases range from industrial espionage to lost pets, from criminal investigations to pre-employment screenings, and the types of P.I.'s and their specialties are as diverse as are the clients who hire them and the varied cases they present.
The first step toward determining whether a private investigator can help you is by clearly defining your reasons for hiring one in the first place. What do you want? Are you simply trying to find out the truth in a personal matter? Or are you planning to use the information you obtain from the investigation in court? Or both? These kinds of questions are important to ask yourself before you begin your search for a reputable investigator, as they may affect the outcome of your case, as well as its cost.
If you are considering litigation (going to court) you may want to hire an attorney before hiring a private investigator. The attorney should advise you as to whether your case requires the services of an investigator to be successful. There is no sense in making a financial investment in information that may ultimately not be useful or admissable in court.
If you are purely interested in "the truth" regarding a matter, then calling a P.I. directly may be your best option. A private investigator can be your confidential resource for what you cannot (or do not want to) ascertain on your own. He or she can be "your eyes" into matters the police may not be able to help you with, and can effectively be your agent or representative in matters familial, civil, and/or personal in nature.
Always keep in mind that different investigative agencies offer different services, and those services can vary greatly in cost and scope. A large agency with hundreds of operatives may not be economically appropriate to help you find a long lost relative, but may be perfect to handle a complicated case of corporate fraud. A small agency may be ideal to help you determine if your spouse is unfaithful, but may be the completely wrong choice for the countersurveillance needs of a Fortune 500 Company. Investigate your investigator first. Research online, contact the Better Business Bureau, read client testimonials, and thoroughly review the agency's licensing and qualifications. (See: Things You Should Know before Hiring a Private Eye in the May 2010 archive of this blog.)
Once you feel satisfied with your choice, meet the investigator(s) in person. How do you feel about him, her, or them? Do they handle themselves professionally? Do they appear trustworthy? What is your "gut reaction"? Do you feel comfortable with them in general? These are valid questions, and often the best test when making the final determination. You could very well end up having a long and intimate business relationship with this person or persons, and they may see your significant other, family, friends, business associates, and acquaintances at their best or worst. If you don't feel completely comfortable trusting him or her with your personal and/or business information—look elsewhere.
Once you have determined that you require the services of a private investigator and have made your choice from the many agencies available, what are some of the specific services private investigators have to offer?
My company, Arizona Private Investigations, a subdivision of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C., offers the following:
Child Custody and Infidelity Investigations
Pre-Employment Screening
Criminal History Reports
Individual Background Profiles
Adult and Youth Caregiver Abuse/Neglect Investigations
Teen Whereabouts/Lifestyle Investigations
Premarital Screening
Tenant Screening
Missing Persons /Skip Traces
Witness Location
Witness Interviews (statements and affidavits)
Police Interviews
Expert Witness Research and Interviews
Evidence Collection
Surveillance (physical, photographic, and GPS tracking)
Testimony/Deposition
Location and Recovery of Property (including replevins)
Threat Investigations
Criminal Investigations
Hiring a private investigator can be one of the most valuable and life changing choices you ever make. To further appreciate what a private investigator can do for you, contact Jeff Kimble at 480-318-9936, or visit the Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. website at:
http://www.azprivateeye.com
"The Truth will set you free..."
The public perception of the private investigator is varied and nebulous, both from the frequently exaggerated and inaccurate portrayals of "private eyes" in film and television, and also from the simple fact that, compared to other occupations, a relatively small percentage of citizens run across or require the services of a private investigator in the first place.
A simple yet precise definition of a private investigator is one who is employed to collect information. Once the drama, the mystique, and the ridiculous (just watch one episode of Magnum P.I. to get the wrong idea of the investigation business) are stripped from the fictitious versions of the job description, a private investigator is essentially a collector of information. He or she—if ethical, professional, and experienced—knows how to retrieve this information legally, whether through research, observation, or technical means, and then provides this information to his or her client for a fee.
Private investigators are hired by individuals, families, small businesses, large corporations, and even by government entities. Cases range from industrial espionage to lost pets, from criminal investigations to pre-employment screenings, and the types of P.I.'s and their specialties are as diverse as are the clients who hire them and the varied cases they present.
The first step toward determining whether a private investigator can help you is by clearly defining your reasons for hiring one in the first place. What do you want? Are you simply trying to find out the truth in a personal matter? Or are you planning to use the information you obtain from the investigation in court? Or both? These kinds of questions are important to ask yourself before you begin your search for a reputable investigator, as they may affect the outcome of your case, as well as its cost.
If you are considering litigation (going to court) you may want to hire an attorney before hiring a private investigator. The attorney should advise you as to whether your case requires the services of an investigator to be successful. There is no sense in making a financial investment in information that may ultimately not be useful or admissable in court.
If you are purely interested in "the truth" regarding a matter, then calling a P.I. directly may be your best option. A private investigator can be your confidential resource for what you cannot (or do not want to) ascertain on your own. He or she can be "your eyes" into matters the police may not be able to help you with, and can effectively be your agent or representative in matters familial, civil, and/or personal in nature.
Always keep in mind that different investigative agencies offer different services, and those services can vary greatly in cost and scope. A large agency with hundreds of operatives may not be economically appropriate to help you find a long lost relative, but may be perfect to handle a complicated case of corporate fraud. A small agency may be ideal to help you determine if your spouse is unfaithful, but may be the completely wrong choice for the countersurveillance needs of a Fortune 500 Company. Investigate your investigator first. Research online, contact the Better Business Bureau, read client testimonials, and thoroughly review the agency's licensing and qualifications. (See: Things You Should Know before Hiring a Private Eye in the May 2010 archive of this blog.)
Once you feel satisfied with your choice, meet the investigator(s) in person. How do you feel about him, her, or them? Do they handle themselves professionally? Do they appear trustworthy? What is your "gut reaction"? Do you feel comfortable with them in general? These are valid questions, and often the best test when making the final determination. You could very well end up having a long and intimate business relationship with this person or persons, and they may see your significant other, family, friends, business associates, and acquaintances at their best or worst. If you don't feel completely comfortable trusting him or her with your personal and/or business information—look elsewhere.
Once you have determined that you require the services of a private investigator and have made your choice from the many agencies available, what are some of the specific services private investigators have to offer?
My company, Arizona Private Investigations, a subdivision of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C., offers the following:
Child Custody and Infidelity Investigations
Pre-Employment Screening
Criminal History Reports
Individual Background Profiles
Adult and Youth Caregiver Abuse/Neglect Investigations
Teen Whereabouts/Lifestyle Investigations
Premarital Screening
Tenant Screening
Missing Persons /Skip Traces
Witness Location
Witness Interviews (statements and affidavits)
Police Interviews
Expert Witness Research and Interviews
Evidence Collection
Surveillance (physical, photographic, and GPS tracking)
Testimony/Deposition
Location and Recovery of Property (including replevins)
Threat Investigations
Criminal Investigations
Hiring a private investigator can be one of the most valuable and life changing choices you ever make. To further appreciate what a private investigator can do for you, contact Jeff Kimble at 480-318-9936, or visit the Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. website at:
http://www.azprivateeye.com
"The Truth will set you free..."
Monday, June 21, 2010
History of the Private Investigator
The following was originally posted by http://www.writingpis.wordpress.com/ on May 19, 2010.
In 1833 Eugene Francois Vidcoq, a French ex-criminal, founded one of the first private detective agencies, Le bureau des renseignments (Office of Intelligence) where he oversaw the work of other detectives, many ex-criminals like himself. He’s credited with having introduced record-keeping, criminology, and ballistics to criminal investigation. He also created indelible ink and unalterable bond paper with his printing company. Apparently, he had an altruistic bent as he claimed he never informed on anyone who had stolen for real need.
With Vidocq, the private investigator was born. As the industry evolved, clients often hired PIs to act in law enforcement capacities, especially in matters they were not equipped for or willing to do. This led to PI agencies sometimes performing like private militia and assisting companies in labor disputes.
Such an agency was the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in the United States. It was established in 1850 by Allan Pinkerton, whose claim to fame was foiling a plot to assassinate then President-Elect Abraham Lincoln.
In an era with many law enforcement personnel openly associating with criminals sharing their illegal profits, Pinkerton stood out by promising that his agents would not only produce results, but always act with the highest ethics. He promised to:
Accept no bribes
Never compromise with criminals;
Partner with local law enforcement agencies, when necessary
Refuse divorce cases or cases that initiated scandals of clients
Turn down reward money (his agents were paid well)
Never raise fees without the client’s pre-knowledge, and
Apprise clients on an ongoing basis.
It’s remarkable how many of the above ethical standards are mirrored in many PIs’ standards today (such as regularly apprising clients, partnering with law enforcement, and raising fees only with clients’ knowledge). It’s also amusing to read how Pinkerton’s men refused divorce cases considering today many PIs specialize in marital investigations.
The term “private eye” is from the Pinkerton agency’s logo, an eye surrounded with the words “We Never Sleep.”
In his memoirs, Pinkerton credited two specific agents (one female) for helping establish the firm’s reputation for efficiency and honor: Timothy Webster and Kate Warne (the first female detective in the U.S.).
By the 1920s, due to the expanding middle class in America, the private investigator became better known to the average citizen. Since then, the PI industry has continued to grow as it fills the needs of the public (who retain PIs to work on cases like infidelity, fraud, and criminal defense investigations). Licensing requirements, with criteria a PI must meet, have also been regulated in most states in the U.S. Additionally, professional organizations (regional, national, and international) combined with good business practices have cast the PI career in a more respected light versus its outdated, fictional reputation as the wrinkled trench coat, fallen-from-grace Sam Spade figure found in books and film.
In 1833 Eugene Francois Vidcoq, a French ex-criminal, founded one of the first private detective agencies, Le bureau des renseignments (Office of Intelligence) where he oversaw the work of other detectives, many ex-criminals like himself. He’s credited with having introduced record-keeping, criminology, and ballistics to criminal investigation. He also created indelible ink and unalterable bond paper with his printing company. Apparently, he had an altruistic bent as he claimed he never informed on anyone who had stolen for real need.
With Vidocq, the private investigator was born. As the industry evolved, clients often hired PIs to act in law enforcement capacities, especially in matters they were not equipped for or willing to do. This led to PI agencies sometimes performing like private militia and assisting companies in labor disputes.
Such an agency was the Pinkerton National Detective Agency in the United States. It was established in 1850 by Allan Pinkerton, whose claim to fame was foiling a plot to assassinate then President-Elect Abraham Lincoln.
In an era with many law enforcement personnel openly associating with criminals sharing their illegal profits, Pinkerton stood out by promising that his agents would not only produce results, but always act with the highest ethics. He promised to:
Accept no bribes
Never compromise with criminals;
Partner with local law enforcement agencies, when necessary
Refuse divorce cases or cases that initiated scandals of clients
Turn down reward money (his agents were paid well)
Never raise fees without the client’s pre-knowledge, and
Apprise clients on an ongoing basis.
It’s remarkable how many of the above ethical standards are mirrored in many PIs’ standards today (such as regularly apprising clients, partnering with law enforcement, and raising fees only with clients’ knowledge). It’s also amusing to read how Pinkerton’s men refused divorce cases considering today many PIs specialize in marital investigations.
The term “private eye” is from the Pinkerton agency’s logo, an eye surrounded with the words “We Never Sleep.”
In his memoirs, Pinkerton credited two specific agents (one female) for helping establish the firm’s reputation for efficiency and honor: Timothy Webster and Kate Warne (the first female detective in the U.S.).
By the 1920s, due to the expanding middle class in America, the private investigator became better known to the average citizen. Since then, the PI industry has continued to grow as it fills the needs of the public (who retain PIs to work on cases like infidelity, fraud, and criminal defense investigations). Licensing requirements, with criteria a PI must meet, have also been regulated in most states in the U.S. Additionally, professional organizations (regional, national, and international) combined with good business practices have cast the PI career in a more respected light versus its outdated, fictional reputation as the wrinkled trench coat, fallen-from-grace Sam Spade figure found in books and film.
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