Rewind 10 or 20 years ago, and the Private Investigator field looked a lot different. You can see this in films about Private Investigators. There was a lot of “gumshoe” sleuthing, tailing suspects in cars and on foot, using gut instinct and hard-won experience to get the required information.
Today, a day in the life of a Private Investigator is a lot less glamorous in many ways. For example, there is a lot more technology involved! This technology, along with specialized insurance for Private Investigators, is protective in many ways, in that it keeps you out of harm’s way and helps you get more work done in less time. Along with less field time, the new specialized insurance for Private Investigators helps keep you even safer in a profession not known for being especially safe.
But all this technological assistance can also take you out of the field to the extent where you either lose your gut intuition or you never really develop it in the first place, which is where some say today’s Private Investigators have lost the magic touch of their predecessors. Is Private Investigator technology being used more today over fieldwork? In this article, we will take a look at the recent changes in the Private Investigator industry and the impact of technology
Today’s High Tech Private Investigator Tools
As a Private Investigator, you likely have your own special gadgets, gizmos and gear that you know backwards and forwards and trust to be your eyes and ears when you can’t be present in person to keep tabs on a target. You probably also keep an active insurance Private Investigator policy for extra protection as you use these tools.
These eight technology tools are now considered staples of today’s Private Investigator toolkit:
1. Hidden Video Cameras with Audio
Place a tiny camera with audio recording capabilities inside a coke can and it becomes a potent data collection tool.
2. GPS Vehicle Trackers
Small, portable GPS vehicle trackers can tell a Private Investigator where a target is at any hour of the day or night.
3. Drones
The widespread availability of affordable, petite, webcam-enabled drones has made short work of tailing targets without getting spotted.
4. Cell Phone Monitoring
The main tool here is the IMEI cell phone tower cloning software, which imitates a real cell phone tower. In this way, the Private Investigator receives an alert when any communications occur on a targeted device.
5. Spyware Software
Small spyware software programs can be downloaded and installed on a target’s devices to clone hard drives, retrieve data and hunt for incriminating evidence.
6. Tablets and Laptops
Whether for research or geo-location, tablets and laptops have all but replaced binoculars and traditional cameras in collecting valuable data and recording a target’s movements and activities.
7. Social Media
Social media has had its own revolutionary effect on the surveillance industry. Most social users often freely offer information that is best kept confidential and private.
8. Databases
Finally, there are a number of public and private databases that Private Investigators can use to retrieve everything from criminal records to social security numbers.
Where Specialization Comes In
The question we posed at the start of this article was whether today’s Private Investigator may be relying too much on technology at the expense of developing trustworthy field instincts.
But to hear successful career Private Investigators tell it, the field itself is increasingly geared towards specialists rather than requiring every working Private Investigator to be a generalist.
For example, a talented “gumshoe” Private Investigator might choose to specialize in conducting surveillance, using technology such as hidden cameras, drones and GPS trackers as assistants while out in the field.
But another highly technologically-oriented Private Investigator might instead choose to specialize in conducting online surveillance, researching databases for incriminating evidence, working with spyware and cloning software and staying “behind the scenes” in the office.
In today’s wide-open Private Investigator career path, the choice is really up to you! And no matter what you choose.
Another Very Important Tool
El Dorado Insurance specializes in providing custom insurance for Private Investigators. Whether you choose to utilize Private Investigator technology, fieldwork or both you need to be protected from the unexpected. Apply and purchase your insurance policy today!
