Private detectives to need licence in England and Wales

[Jimbuna]

What is the position in the US?

Does it vary from state to state?

Operating as an unlicensed private detective is to be illegal in England and Wales, the home secretary has said.
The Home Office said it wanted to "ensure rigorous standards" in an industry where "rogue investigators" had been infringing privacy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23519690

[WernherVonTrapp]

I know in the state of NJ you need a license. That's not to say that you couldn't work as a desk clerk at any agency w/o one, but to do active investigations in the field. It has been that way for (at least) as long as I was a LEO. I believe that also holds true for every state in the union.

[Platapus]

Most states require a license.

It also depends on what the individual detective is allowed to do.

Like most legal issues in the United States, different states have different rules/regulations/laws concerning private detectives.

I believe that Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, and South Dakota do not have state wide licenses although they may have more local licensing requirements.

Even if the state does not require a license, the insurance or bond company may require something.

[WernherVonTrapp]

I've responded to dozens of reports of suspicious persons and/or vehicles involving private investigators. The veteran agencies would usually notify the authority/police of the jurisdiction within which they would be conducting their investigations, including specific names and/or addresses. This would help them in instances where the subject who is being watched, might report a suspicious person in anticipation of possible private investgators. The inexperienced ones would end up in front of a police cruiser's flashing and take-down lights, illuminated for all to see.

I would usually end my conversation with the latter by saying: "Sorry if I blew your cover, but it might help in the future if you notify us of your intentions beforehand." Of course, they had to provide proper identification (OL, Reg, Ins., Proof of employment at the stated agency, etc.).

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

I've responded to dozens of reports of suspicious persons and/or vehicles involving private investigators. The veteran agencies would usually notify the authority/police of the jurisdiction within which they would be conducting their investigations, including specific names and/or addresses. This would help them in instances where the subject who is being watched, might report a suspicious person in anticipation of possible private investgators. The inexperienced ones would end up in front of a police cruiser's flashing and take-down lights, illuminated for all to see.

I would usually end my conversation with the latter by saying: "Sorry if I blew your cover, but it might help in the future if you notify us of your intentions beforehand." Of course, they had to provide proper identification (OL, Reg, Ins., Proof of employment at the stated agency, etc.).

Many moons ago I did bail enforcement for a while with one agency. He was totally professional, we ALWAYS stopped downtown before we went out to see if we could round up his skips. Never had a bit of a problem with local LEO's. Had a decent enough rep that we got asked by the feds to help track/recapture a guy wanted up and down the east coast. We didn't get him - almost did 2x though.

The first he rode by us on a bicycle - in a dress. I blame the miss on it being so dark. The second he holed up in an abandon church. He came flying out a back entrance. The idea was one would flush him, the other would slow him down enough for both of us to subdue him. First of many times my shoulder got dislocated and I ended up with broken ribs trying to hang onto him. In hindsight its a damned good thing he wasn't armed since he had already killed 2 people and had sworn he wasn't going back to jail. Woulda been nice to know that before we made the mistake of trying to make the grab ourselves.

Anyway - I have no problem with them requiring licenses for PI work, or skip tracing/apprehension even. Lots of "fly by nighters" out there with no clue of what is legal and isn't.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Many moons ago I did bail enforcement for a while with one agency. He was totally professional, we ALWAYS stopped downtown before we went out to see if we could round up his skips. Never had a bit of a problem with local LEO's. Had a decent enough rep that we got asked by the feds to help track/recapture a guy wanted up and down the east coast. We didn't get him - almost did 2x though.

The first he rode by us on a bicycle - in a dress. I blame the miss on it being so dark. The second he holed up in an abandon church. He came flying out a back entrance. The idea was one would flush him, the other would slow him down enough for both of us to subdue him. First of many times my shoulder got dislocated and I ended up with broken ribs trying to hang onto him. In hindsight its a damned good thing he wasn't armed since he had already killed 2 people and had sworn he wasn't going back to jail. Woulda been nice to know that before we made the mistake of trying to make the grab ourselves.

Anyway - I have no problem with them requiring licenses for PI work, or skip tracing/apprehension even. Lots of "fly by nighters" out there with no clue of what is legal and isn't.

Bail Enforcement is a dangerous, no nonsense job. Since you're dealing with bail-jumpers, you're always dealing with the more desperate of the criminal element. Hats off to you. Similar to our "Outstanding Warrant Task Force". I worked it a couple of times to break up the monotony of the everyday watch cycle. Since I originally was from Paterson, NJ, the detectives would always give me first dibs at the TF because I usually knew all the streets and what to expect in specific neighborhoods. Got pretty hairy sometimes.
As I got older, I stopped doing them altogether. Takes alot of physical effort. I once missed apprehending an armed robbery suspect, wanted halfway across the state, by a mere few seconds. Would've made some big headlines had I been more situationally aware. I blew that one.

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Bail Enforcement is a dangerous, no nonsense job. Since you're dealing with bail-jumpers, you're always dealing with the more desperate of the criminal element. Hats off to you. Similar to our "Outstanding Warrant Task Force".

Don't give me too much credit LOL. A lot of times the folks he wanted were just the ones that didn't pay him all the deposit, or hadn't skipped but didn't call and check in with him as his contract with them required. They had "skipped" on him, not on the courts.

NC law allowed him to re-apprehend and return them to police custody if they violated the civil contract they had with him. Probably only 15% were those that missed a court date. Most just didn't stay up with him as required, so it wasn't as if they were the most dangerous in my case.

You guys are the ones never knowing what you were getting into when you walk up to a door. We always had the option to wait, or just go work another file if it didn't look "right". I learned a lot working with him, and much of it was related to the kinds of crap LEO's have to deal with on a daily basis from the not so respectable elements of society.