course description
Undoubtedly, many successful Private Investigators spend more time conducting surveillance than any other activity in their professional careers. Surveillance is the systematic observation of persons, places or things in order to obtain information and is typically accomplished without the knowledge of the person being watched. It is also the most lucrative type of assignment that investigators handle day in and day out! This course is designed to teach and develop surveillance techniques and methodologies. The course of instruction will introduce topics from pre-surveillance steps through new technology, surveillance methods, and the legal aspects of surveillance.
This course is approved for 14 hours of instruction in Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Iowa; 12 hours in Tennessee and Kentucky; 8 hours in Kansas, Louisiana and Georgia; 10 hours in South Carolina; 4 hours in New Mexico. An exam will be administered upon the conclusion of the program. If the candidate passes with a score of 75% or better, a certificate of completion will be issued in accordance with state licensing authority standards.
the author
L. Scott Harrell has been a professional investigator for over 17 years. He began a career in the intelligence and investigations tradecraft when selected to work with several intelligence units while serving our country in the United States Navy. Since his discharge, Scott has continued to apply the very special skills honed in the military through his own private investigation practice and service within the private security industry. Scott has worked with Fortune 500 companies, owned and managed two very successful agencies in Texas, Florida and Louisiana. He is also a noted speaker, mentor and author of eight (8) investigation-related books.
program outline
Presurveillance Investigations
- Making Positive Identification of Your Subject
- Pretexting
- Pretext Scenarios and Examples
- Managing Confrontation
- Being Approached by Law Enforcement
Surveillance Equipment and Operation
- Binoculars and Telescopes
- Conventional and Digital Cameras
- Analog and Digital Video Cameras
- Night Vision Equipment
- Pinhole and Microcircuit Cameras
- Wireless and Remote Image Transmission Technology
Surveillance
- Visual Surveillance
- Mobile Surveillance
- Tailing Methods and Tactics
- Choosing a Surveillance Vehicle
- Undercover Investigators
- Surveillance Reports
- Improving Your Surveillance Product
- What's Allowed on Surveillance Video?
- Editing Surveillance Video Footage for Court
- Surveillance Tricks of the Trade
- Summer Surveillance Considerations
- Winter Surveillance Issues
The Legal Aspects of Surveillance
- Laws and Traffic Violations
- "Garbology"
- Criminal Trespass
- Use of Criminal Instrument
- Interception of Communications
- Use of Pen Register or Trap and Trace Device
- Access to Stored Communications
- Installation of Tracking Device
- Disorderly Conduct
- Obstructing Highway or Other Passageway
- False Alarm or Report
- Harassment
- Stalking
- Theft
- Roping and Entrapment
- Surveillance Case Law
Conclusion
- Bibliography
