"Where are you located" is something often asked but the location of an Investigator may not be as important as you think. It may be better for the investigator to be local to the area in one matter but it may also be a hindrance in another matter. In some investigations, it truly does not matter at all where the investigator is located. So what is optimal?
Firstly, the investigator must be licensed in the state that the investigation is to take place. There are people who will tell you that it does not matter when an investigation starts in one state then crosses the border. They believe that as long as the investigator was licensed in the state the matter started in, then the investigation will be legal. This is not true. The investigator needs to be licensed in the state that the matter is taking place in. If the investigation takes the investigator interstate, they need to be licensed there as well.
Local.
An investigator being local can be of great assistance with local knowledge. However an investigator who has been working in the industry for a considerable time would have worked in many areas and will know those areas very well. Being local may also be better where the investigator is needed in a short span of time.
Some people mistakenly believe that the investigator needs to be local in order to keep costs down. This will be because the firm you are speaking with will charge you for the investigator to travel to and from the job. For most matters we do not charge for travel to and from the file. We charge from the start of the surveillance period. Speak with us to see if the location you want us to attend is within this billing.
Not local.
Not being a local could also be important. When you choose an investigator for a matter in a smaller community, or where the person being investigated is quite popular and well known where they live, you may want to look for someone who does not live there. This way you remove any problem with the investigator knowing or being friends with the Subject or their families. A conflict of interest is something an ethical investigator will advise you of.
When location is not important.
Location is not important for any investigation that is conducted online. BACKGROUND CHECKS and LOCATING SOMEONE are carried out online. The physical location of the investigator is not necessary unless a check is needed to confirm any information if there is ambiguity.
What is important.
Where an investigator is located should not matter. The questions you really should ask yourself are:
- Is this within my budget?
- Do I trust this investigator?
- Do they sound knowledgeable?
- Are they professional?
- Will the information be kept confidential?
- Will they be conducting the investigation or will they contract the investigation out to someone else?
Getting the person who is based closest to the matter should not be the first consideration. After all, you will be paying regardless of the outcome.
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