Private investigators may be portrayed in movies as super sleuths who hack into computers, break into buildings, and bug phones. However, this isn’t the case. Although the work of a Private Investigator is not as thrilling and exciting as an action movie, the work Private Investigators do still achieves results such as solving crimes, prosecuting criminals, finding missing persons, and solving cases.
What Are the Duties of a Private Investigator?
Private investigators Manchester gather information for their clients as their primary function. Investigative activities may vary widely depending on the case. As part of these activities, investigators may interview people, conduct background checks, conduct surveillance, and dig up other legal, financial, and personal information.
However, private investigators must follow local requirements within certain states. Private investigators are also required to comply with all business requirements in all states, and may even need a business license to operate.
Why would you hire a private investigator?
People, companies, and organizations hire private investigators for many different reasons. Private investigators may be hired as part of various reasons, from finding a missing person to investigating facts for a court case to conducting surveillance. As well as solving fraud cases, investigating workplace incidents, establishing evidence for court cases, and other matters, companies, and law firms seek the help of private investigators. Insurance fraud is often investigated by private investigators hired by the insurance industry.
Is it legal for private investigators to conduct investigations?
Many people wonder what private investigators are actually allowed to do since private investigators often do many of the same tasks as law enforcement and detectives. To answer the most frequent questions we hear, we’ve put together the following Q&A section.
Are private investigators able to make arrests?
There is no arrest authority for private investigators, nor are they police officers. Despite being a witness to a crime, private investigators are still held accountable. However, police may use the information gathered by that investigator to make an arrest.
Citizens can be arrested in some jurisdictions, but this is a practice for all citizens, not specific to private investigators. The private investigator must ensure they are fully familiar with the law and stay compliant with it in jurisdictions that allow citizen’s arrests.
Do private investigators have the right to spy on people?
To ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local privacy laws, private investigators should constantly stay aware of privacy laws. Typically, private investigators can be seen loitering around people’s homes at night, taking pictures of them inside their homes, and stalking them in private. But this is illegal! The right to privacy is guaranteed by law, whether in one’s own home or on someone else’s private property. These privacy laws will prompt private investigators to get arrested or in legal trouble if they violate them.
Do Private Investigators have the right to trespass?
In public, private investigators have the same freedom as anyone else. Without proper permission, they are not allowed to trespass, enter, or gain access to private property, buildings, devices, storage areas, filing cabinets, or other private property. There is a common belief in Hollywood that private investigators trespass as part of their job — they break into buildings, climb over fences, and rummage through filing cabinets that aren’t theirs. However, this is not true.
