INVESTIGATIVE INTERVIEWING - The PI’s Perspective

January 24th, 2008

It is essential to recognise that the key purpose in conducting an interview is to obtain facts/evidence, and to search for the truth, from the interviewee in a fair and proper manner.

Best practice is a method called the PEACE model. Planning & Preparation, Engage & Explain, Account, Closure & Evaluation. At the centre of this model is a commitment to best practice, communication skills, control, structure and flexibility.

Planning & Preparation:Planning is the mental process of getting ready. In planning the interviewer must understand;

· The object of the interview

· The relevant rules, regulations or points to prove

· What evidence is already to hand

· What deficiencies exist and what might be done about them

· How to prepare a flexible approach

· What rules must be followed

· What is known about the interviewee

In Preparation, interviewers must think about such things as the location of the interview, the environment and the administrative side e.g. should you have female witness present.

Engage & Explain: All interviews must start somewhere. There are two elements – the human side and the administrative side.

The engage element deals with the human side, set within the principle that first impressions are very important and set the tone for the interview. The explain element deals with the formalities required by law, rules or regulations or best practice and describing to the interviewee how the interview will be conducted.

Account: Having planned, prepared and opened the interview correctly, we come to the core of the interview. There are two styles of interviewing that can be followed at this point depending upon the application.

· The Cognitive Interview technique is designed for witnesses and has at its heart a process that allows the interviewee to relive the event about which you want information.

· In the Conversation Management technique, the interviewee is asked to provide an account of what happened – the interviewer sub-divides this account into parts and probes for more detail, linking each sub-divided part to the next. Using this technique, it is essential that the interviewer be in control of the interview. He or she directs the interview and determines when specific areas are to be probed. This style is appropriate when the witness or suspect is unwilling to be totally frank or honest.

Closure: Before the formal closure of an interview, the interviewers should accurately summarise what has been said, and check that what has been said by each is correctly understood.

Evaluation: The post interview evaluation should look at three areas:

· The information obtained during the interview

· The evidence accumulated during the entire investigation

· The interviewers reflection on his/her own performance during the interview

A review of the information obtained is essential, if admissions were made, what checks might be made to corroborate these? If denials, what checks might be made to prove or disprove these?

The PEACE model is universally acknowledged as current best practice.

Posted in Retail Fraud Prevention | No Comments »

NOTHING TO LOSE: The new “Jack Reacher” novel

January 23rd, 2008

The new book is coming out on the 24th of March 2008 in the uk. What’s it about, i hear you ask?

“Two small towns in the middle of nowhere: Hope and Despair. Between them, nothing but twelve miles of empty road. Jack Reacher can’t find a ride, so he walks. All he wants is a cup of coffee. What he gets are four hostile locals, a vagrancy charge, and an order to move on.

They’re picking on the wrong guy.

Reacher is a hard man. No job, no address, no baggage. Nothing at all, except bloody-minded curiosity. What are the secrets that Despair seems so desperate to hide?

With just one ally ”a mysterious woman cop from Hope” and many enemies, Reacher goes up against a whole town, hunting the rich man at its core, cracking open his terrifying agenda, asking the question: who has the edge “a man with everything to gain, or a man with nothing to lose?”

I can’t wait to read it.

Posted in General | 2 Comments »

Chasing Solicitors and Detectives Agencies for Debts

January 7th, 2008

Well it’s the new year and I’m spending the whole day chasing solicitors and other PI’s for money that they owe me. Some of these debts are very old. One solicitor has owed me for the last six months and its only for a smallish amount. Everyone has the same excuse, “I haven’t been paid by my Client yet” and I understand the issues here but at the same time it’s not really my problem whether their client has paid them or not.

A colleague from a well known process services agency emailed me a small paragraph that appears to work with Solicitors, “We respectfully remind clients that any legal practice who refuses to pay until they are in credit from their client / Legal Aid Commission shall be in breach of “Practice Rule 1(d) referred to in the Guide to the Professional Conduct of Solicitors 1999 (8th Edition)” governed by the Law Society.”

I don’t really know what will work with my esteemed colleagues in the PI world but be warned, I will no longer be a soft touch and have retained a Debt Collection Agency, CRED-X to deal with outstanding invoices.

It’s a sad fact these days that you sometimes have to chase people for money that they owe you but I didn’t think that this problem would hit me worse with my own colleagues in the PI field.

Well that’s my rant over.

Posted in Debts | 3 Comments »

Jorge Salgado-Reyes - Private Investigator

January 6th, 2008

Magnum - P.I., Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Sherlock Holmes, Simon Templar, Crocket, Vincent.

Of the fictional PI’s that I’ve watched in my (sometimes) misspent youth, the character that has had the greatest impact on me was Rick Deckard from the Hollywood movie BladeRunner. Especially the part were he is looking in a newspaper for a job and the voice over says “They don’t advertise for killers in the newspaper. That was my profession. Ex-cop. Ex-blade runner. Ex-killer.”

The impression that most people have of PI’s is very much what they see in the American movies. AS we all know, the reality is a whole lot different. For starters I don’t drive around in a white Ferrari and I don’t carry a gun or any other weapon.

The investigations are, for the most part routine and tend to consist of lots of process serving, tracing down people who are lost (for one reason or another) and spying on people’s partners.

For me the most exciting types of investigations are the commercial and retail frauds where I get to gather evidence about employees and once gathered i get to interview them. It is satisfying to obtain a confession as a culmination of several months work.

So remember the next time you meet me, don’t expect me to show up to the meeting in a white Ferrari wearing a mac.

Posted in Surveillance, General, Tracing, Retail Fraud Prevention, Process Service | No Comments »

Meet your online date, safely!

January 5th, 2008

Online dating “may seem like a convenience for some people, but you don’t really know who is on the other end, There are some simple ways to check into a potential partner’s background.

Start by typing their name into Google or another search engine to see what comes up. You can also try an online database search through a fee-based service such as 192.com or tracesmart.com.

But these searches only work if you have the person’s real name and you have to have good, solid information for these checks to work.

If you have that information hiring a private investigator is a good way to check up on a romantic partner. Private investigators also search public databases and can get information including bankruptcies, professional licenses and divorces.

Background checks are a growing part of my business. I estimate that 90 percent of my clients conducting a trace are women. Most are people who have been married and divorced before and they tend to be a little older and a little wiser.They are finding inconsistencies and things aren’t quite lining up.They are really listening to what this person is telling them.

Red flags may include talking around certain subjects or talking in general terms, even when asked a specific questions.

A basic trace by a private investigator costs £100 to £300, but it is inexpensive compared to getting involved with someone who is not who they say they are. A background check can prevent a broken heart.

You should pay attention to your gut feelings about people that you meet. Lots of people develop a sixth sense, but they don’t listen to it because they can’t put their finger on what the problem is. Because they can’t identify the cause of their uncertainty, they rationalize away concerns and end up as a victim of a broken heart, or worse. So when you get that rotten feeling in your stomach, stop. Back up. Reassess the situation.”

Watch your back

Here are some of my tips for your first few dates with an online match:

• Meet in a public place, where there are lots of people around.

• Only give your first name until you know you get to know your date.

• Drive yourself to the meeting. Don’t rely on your date for a ride.

• Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

• Have a mobile phone with you.

• Limit your alcohol intake.

• Don’t leave drinks unattended. If you must leave the table, order another drink when you get back.

• If the relationship progresses, go slow.

• Listen to your instincts.

Posted in Tracing | No Comments »