Sting Investigations - Private Investigative Issues

A Little Private Eye Trivia from Wikipedia

In the U.S., the Pinkerton National Detective Agency was a private detective agency established in 1850 by Allan Pinkerton. Pinkerton had become famous when he foiled a plot to assassinate then President-Elect Abraham Lincoln. Pinkerton's agents performed services which ranged from undercover investigations and detection of crimes to plant protection and armed security. It is sometimes claimed, probably with exaggeration, that at the height of its existence the Pinkerton National Detective Agency employed more agents than the United States Army. ^[1]

Pinkerton agents were also hired to track western outlaws Jesse James, the Reno brothers, and the Wild Bunch, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The Pinkerton agency's logo, an eye embellished with the words "We Never Sleep," inspired the term "private eye."^[4]

It was not until the prosperity of the 1920s that the private investigator became a person accessible to the average American. With the wealth of the 1920s and the expanding of the middle class came the need of middle America for private investigators.^[5]

Abe Lincoln once said -

"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

Welcome to 2009!

Happy New Year

From: All Things Legal Investigations

 

Snow days can be an opportunity for two things (Post by Dawn Krantz-Watts)

Today is my second snow day in a row. My family and I our stuck together, which is not really a bad thing.

Thing 1 -This particular storm gave us a great chance to sit around yesterday watching movies, playing in the snow and hanging out. 

Thing 2 -Today is another opportunity. I am so rested from yesterday I hit the computer a 7:30 am. I can now get caught up on my e-mails, my blogging, my networking (linkedin) and try to contact hard to reach witnesses who are most likely snowed in themselves.   

I hear people complain about how inconvienent a snow day is but I see it as a gift both personally and professionally.

Merry Christmas!

Dawn Krantz-Watts

What is the definition of a good leader- (posted by Dawn Krantz-Watts)

The qualities that constitute leadership seem to be linked with a person's own sense of self worth. For example, a leader is willing to assess a situation and trust in their own ability to act. While the decision may lead to positive results or not, the leader is willing to take a chance because of his or her own confidence in their judgment. Additionally, the leader develops trust in other people, and they trust him/her in return.

A private investigator is a leader, we have to have self confidence (we get rejected a lot), we have to be able to act fast (we might have to run like the wind to stay out of sight), and we need to earn your trust (I am a total stranger you just let in your house, I hope you trust me).  Seriously, in this profession we are required to think on our feet because we do not always know what is going to happen on an assignment. We earn our clients trust by producing great results. Whether it is in surveillance work or witness preparation being an investigator requires us to be the best at what we do. It takes initiative and determination. All these are signs of a good leader. 

Are you a leader or a follower?  I know  I am a leader.

Sometimes it is what a witness does not say......(by Dawn Krantz-Watts)

As an investigators we are often asked to interview a witness to obtain information and to determine the credibility of the witness in the event a case goes to court.  Time and time again I have to talk and talk and talk to get a witness to relax and open up.  Once they start to talk it is my job to hear every word they say.  What they say can make or break a case but sometimes it is what a witness does not say that can be even more helpful.

Something to think about-Sex abuse (posted by Dawn Krantz-Watts)

This is a different topic for most but something that is important to me because this is the work I specialize in, it is a tough topic for people because no one wants to talk about sex abuse. But I’m going to. For those who have suffered abuse, not talking about it doesn’t make it go away, but sometimes giving the victim a chance to talk about it, can bring the incident to closure.   

Simple interviews can be a wealth of information

I am the master at interviewing people.  The reason that this is my special talent is because I know that an interview is not some planned event with an agenda, you can't predict the direction the conversation will go because you do not know the answers. The purpose of the interview is to find the answers.

I have had the opportunity to mentor other investigators regarding the simplicity of the interview because it is simple. For example, last week I had to conduct a interview on the fly while the client sat in the background passing me notes. This interview had alot of different variables that could have made it a disaster but I was able to get the information I needed because I focused on my objective. I started out by introducing myself, I always ask permission to talk, I asked if this is a convienent time. This gives the person being interviewed impression that they call the shots. I make small talk and between questions about family or friends I ask questions related to the reason I called.  Once a person is comfortable in conversation they are happy to talk. The key is to make them comfortable--make them feel like they are talking to a friend. At the same time I never mislead them, I am always honest about the purpose of my call.

Interviews are not a complex list of questions that follow a specific formula. The minute that you get caught in that trap the interview is doomed.  Have some key words, specifics or date of importance as part of your notest before you start but never expect to follow a formula.  Go with your gut and keep it simple.

Dawn Krantz-Watts