Private detectives to need licence in England and Wales

[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.