Additional Information
There are many paths to becoming a private investigator. Many investigators
enter the field with a military or law enforcement background.
Sheila Klopper is one of them. She spent 12 years in law enforcement before
becoming a PI. She had a lot of other work experience as well, including three
years in retail, 10 years in social services, five years in physical education
and seven years as a photojournalist.
A lot of private investigators learn the job simply by doing it, says Klopper.
Others go to PI schools where they're exposed to the various investigative
fields.
"Usually the school will try to place the person in the field they're interested
in," says Klopper.
Carl Franco runs a PI school. He's a private investigator and former police
officer.
"You need both theory and practice, so that's what we teach our students,"
says Franco.
Franco's school offers a diploma in private investigation. Students take
courses on such topics as crime scene search and preservation, and industrial
counter-espionage.
Klopper specializes in criminal defense work. Defense lawyers hire her
to review the evidence against their clients, or find new evidence that might
prove their client's innocence.
"Just coming to it cold, it's a very hard field to break into," Klopper
says. "A lot of cops will retire and think they'll become a [private] detective,
but how do you get these attorneys to hire you?"
Klopper says it's about building a network of connections over time, and
building a reputation for honesty and integrity.
Some PIs recommend a degree in criminal justice, accounting or political
science. But it all depends on what types of investigations you hope to do,
and what kind of work experience you already have.
Private investigation is a second career for many people, says Karen Coady.
She works with the World Association of Detectives. The most common first
careers: "Anything from private security, law enforcement, military -- and
some have been in legal aid, maybe not as lawyers, but as paralegals."
Franco recommends that PIs have some background in the "two pillars" of
law: criminal law and civil law. Criminal law is about the relationship between
government and citizens. Civil law is about the relationships between citizens.
"Private investigation is mostly civil - insurance, matrimonial," says
Franco.
Most states require private investigators to hold a license, but licensing
requirements vary greatly. It's important to get a certificate as well. Check
with your state government about licensing requirements.
Most states that require licensing also require continuing education, says
Coady. Continuing education is offered by associations such as the National
Association of Legal Investigators (NALI) and WAD, which offer seminars and
conferences on constantly evolving topics, such as whether it's legal to put
a GPS tracker on someone's car.
Certification is different from licensing. Certification is the PI's choice.
Some associations offer certification and some don't. NALI offers certification,
as does the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
"When someone tells me they want to be a PI, I always tell them your first
step is to check with your state and what licensing requirements there are,"
says Coady.