Surveillance investigators are frequently required to keep an eye on a subject at all times during a private investigation. If you want to work as a surveillance investigator, you’ll need to learn the ropes and obtain a license. Surveillance investigators must master four primary tasks: surveillance, interviewing, reporting, and testifying. With that, you can go out and find a variety of interesting jobs, such as working on divorce cases and insurance fraud cases.
If you want to work as a surveillance investigator, you should start with education and licensing. Many countries provide training in the nuances of being a private investigator. If you don’t want to go to school, you can hire a private investigator to assist you in learning the trade. After you’ve mastered all of the techniques, you’ll need a private investigator’s license, as stalking a subject without one could be considered stalking. The requirements for this license vary by country, but they usually include an ethics and procedure test.
You must be undetectable after becoming a surveillance investigator if you want to be successful. Following a subject on foot or in a car is critical, and you must do so in a non-obtrusive manner. Typically, you’ll need photographic, video, or audio evidence to prove the subject. Surveillance investigation necessitates a great deal of patience, as it often entails sitting in one place for long periods of time.
Another skill you’ll need to master if you want to work as a surveillance investigator is interviewing. To maintain anonymity, an investigator will usually not interview the subject, but will instead question neighbors and associates. You must be able to deal with various personality types and ask questions in such a way that you receive responses.
In order to work as a surveillance investigator, you must have excellent writing skills. Almost every job will end with a written report detailing the subject’s actions and, if any, transgressions. You must create a clear document that clients can understand and, if necessary, use in court.
You will frequently be called to testify in court if you work as a surveillance investigator. Your job qualifies you as a witness, so you could testify in court about your surveillance. To answer questions about what you saw, you must be comfortable speaking with attorneys and think quickly and have a good memory.