Private Investigator Phoenix » Cutty & Associates - Private Investigations is the leading private detective service in Phoenix Arizona

Private investigators carry a particular set of unique skills fine-tuned to uncover hard-to-get information. It is the private investigator you look to to find a loved one who has gone missing or find the truth about a cheating spouse. Arizona government and law enforcement agencies, businesses and other organizations also frequently engage the services of a top private investigations company in Phoenix, AZ to help them gather evidence or information, from personal background checks to corporate espionage.

The work private investigators do involves searching public records, conducting surveillance operations, tracking people’s movements and interviewing people. Unlike decades ago when private investigators mostly relied on a trusted camera to document the actions and behaviors of persons of interest or monitor specific addresses, private investigations in the modern era make use of sophisticated equipment and state-of-the-art technologies.

It is not just the ability to ask the right questions, have an exceptional eye for detail or be gifted with oodles of patience to endure a stakeout, it also helps if private investigators are skilled in operating tools of the trade, from video surveillance to GPS navigational equipment to knowing the inside out of digitized databanks.

In this day and age of digital technologies that have made it possible for information to be delivered instantaneously at the click of a button, why would there be a need to hire a private investigations company?

In short, there really is no better, more efficient way to uncover the truth than hiring an experienced private investigator. Then there are the added benefits of saving your time and money and getting the job done right the first time around. 

Common reasons to hire a Private Investigations agency

• Trace a missing person

When you need to find missing persons or trace family members like birth parents in the case of an adoption, the services of a professional private investigations company are invaluable to finding out the results.

• Investigate suspected spouse infidelity

One of the most common reasons private individuals hire a private investigations company is to look for evidence of infidelity in a marriage. It is only when having all relevant information at hand that you can make an informed decision about your marriage.

• Background checks

In an age when fraud and scams have become rampant, it always pays to know who you are dealing with. How do you know someone is who they say they are? Whether you want to verify a romantic interest’s personal identity or the background of a potential job hire, a professional private investigator will know exactly what to look for and where. Banks, legal firms and insurance companies often utilize the expertise of private investigators to verify personal and professional information.

• Surveillance

If there is one task that should best be left to the professionals, it is surveillance operations. For surveillance to be effective, observing without being observed requires experience, a higher level of observational skills, stamina, patience and attentiveness.

How to hire a private investigations agency

Whether you are a private individual or representing a business entity, you will want to hire only the best and most reputable private investigations company in town. The following tips will help you pay attention to must-have criteria.

• Ask about experience

To find out about the types of investigative cases a private investigations company carries out and to gain a sense of their professionalism and rate of success, you need to ask about their experience in the private investigations world. What type of cases have they worked on? How do they carry out their investigations and what were the outcomes?

• Ask about any areas of specialization

Some private investigations companies only work in one area of private investigations. They may focus only on marriage matters and child custody or concentrate on missing persons or fraud. Do the PIs have any professional training in a particular field?

• Verify relevant licensing

The first sign of a legitimate private investigations company is having a license to operate as such. Do not be satisfied with just receiving a license number; take the time to verify that the license is valid.

Why choose Cutty & Associates Private Investigations

At the end of the day, you must feel comfortable in your choice of the private investigations company you hire. Our team of professionally-trained and well-experienced private investigators at Cutty & Associates Private Investigations has extensive experience in corporate, domestic, civil and criminal professional investigations cases.  Contact us today if you’d like to know more about our services. 

Surveillance plays a vital role in missing person searches, criminal and fraud investigations and infidelity investigations. If you need to observe and document a person’s movements and interactions or have a place or object closely monitored to document events or activities, you will need the professional services of a surveillance specialist in Phoenix, Arizona. 

The objective of surveillance is to gather evidence of wrongful action, information that can be valuable to an interrogation or used in court, and intelligence that serves as a basis for putting forward a plan of action.

For a private investigator, surveillance is part and parcel of the investigative process. Traditionally speaking, the art of surveillance comprises three fundamental elements: look, listen and follow.  The process of surveillance has evolved to add to this time-tested approach, along with the use of sophisticated digital and electronic tools. Surveillance can now include online surveillance that includes social media analysis, telephonic and video surveillance.

How well the surveillance is conducted can make or break an investigation.  The introduction of surveillance technology has enhanced the investigator’s expertise in gathering and documenting intelligence. But to be successful in getting the job done, a private investigator will need to rely on more than just their ultra-modern bag of high-tech tricks.

6 Essential skills of a surveillance investigator

A surveillance investigator’s tricks of the trade will also include a complementary set of must-have competencies.

To succeed as a surveillance specialist, it is helpful to have as many of the following soft and technical skills as possible:

• A heightened sense of curiosity

Individuals who have a strong sense of curiosity and who love solving puzzles and mysteries thrive in detective work.

• Analytical skills

Whether it is in deciphering evidence or making rational decisions, having a good analytical mind will serve a surveillance investigator well.

• Patience and determination

Surveillance in most cases does not produce instant results. It is a process that is often defined by long periods of time just sitting around observing and waiting for something to happen.

• Legal knowledge

It is important to stay within the bounds of the law when conducting surveillance so a surveillance investigator will need a good grasp of the law.

• Tech-savvy

Visual evidence such as photographs and video footage remain key sources of valuable evidence and a surveillance specialist will need to be proficient in the use of discreet high-tech devices.

• Ability to be invisible

It is of the utmost importance that an investigator blends into the background and operates under the radar whilst conducting surveillance.  Changing appearance (wigs, hats, etc) are effective tricks of disguise.

Surveillance investigator responsibilities

The day-to-day responsibilities of a surveillance investigator will vary depending on the specific nature of the surveillance carried out. Common responsibilities include:

1. Researching the person or place of interest
2. Setting up surveillance posts
3. Monitoring communications
4. Operating recording devices
5. Actively following the target
6. Report findings back to clients

Why is surveillance used as part of the investigation process?

Surveillance forms a mandatory part of investigations that require visual confirmation of the activities or location of a person of interest. The practice can be a particularly valuable tool in finding missing persons, investigating infidelity, false claims in worker’s compensation cases, insurance fraud and vandalism investigations.

Why choose Cutty & Associates?

At Cutty & Associates, we take great pride in the professionalism of our surveillance operations. Our surveillance specialists are highly trained and experienced experts committed to protecting client confidentiality and delivering results as well as customer service excellence. We have become renowned for our high degree of integrity which has earned us the favor of being the choice provider of private investigations in Arizona.

Learn more about what we do by speaking to one of our client representatives today.