How to Select a Qualified Professional Investigator

How to Select a Qualified Professional Investigator

• Licenses and Certifications

In most states, private investigators and/or their agencies must be licensed.  However, Colorado and Wyoming are not (also  MS, AK, SD and ID).  In the 2014 Colorado legislative session is again considering a reasonable mandatory licensure bill to replace the voluntary licensing program - which will also be repealed; either mandatory or no licensure will take place.  In Wyoming only the city of Cheyenne requires a license.  Please visit www.ColoradoLicensedPrivateInvestigators.com for updates and details. 

Like licensing, certifications require specific levels of education, training and experience.  Not all investigators carry special certifications; however, certifications are an indication of ability and professional standing that surpass licensing qualifications.

• Experience and Reputation

Ensure the agency and investigators have the education, training, skills and experience which are more likely to produce the results you expect and need.  This will also ensure that their work-product will stand up to the scrutiny of any legal challenge.

Subject Matter Expertise should be considered.  It is beneficial to seek and select investigators that have the respect and reputation amongst their peers to be selected to lecture, teach and author specifically on individual locates and related investigations.

• Reports and Affidavits

In general, and in consideration of disclosure and discovery issues, investigations should be concluded with a written report issued to the client detailing the findings.  In the event of further proceedings or legal challenge, the investigator must be willing to provide an affidavit detailing the process and investigative conclusions.  The willingness and ability to testify, as a fact witness or subject matter expert, should also be considered.

• Return on Investigation

All investigations are investments.  These must first be initially assessed by the client and investigator to determine, based upon their respective experiences, if the proposed assignment will likely be concluded with a positive Return on Investigation (ROI).  The ROI is the value of the investigation based upon the information provided, time and expenses, and results.

We hope you seriously consider our agency for your expert consultations and legal investigations in civil, criminal and probate litigation, with an emphasis on cases involving death and injury causation.  Please use this information sheet to assist in evaluating any investigative resource under consideration by your agency.

With kindest regards, Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI – #PI-503
Board Certified Legal Investigator
Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator
Certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations

Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI - #PI-502
Legal Investigator
Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator
Certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations

Associates@Forensic-Investigators.com
(970) 480-7793

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