I am pleased to announce the contest winner is John Virgili, a video surveillance specialist based in Sarasota, Florida. The new surveillance course coming soon to PIeducation.com will be titled “SURVEILLANCE: Obtaining Evidence that Stands up in Court”. Thank you, John, for your submission… we hope you enjoy your $200 gift certificate to the IRBstore.com!

We want to thank the below individuals for your course title submissions, too; it was a very difficult decision. Thank you for participating and helping spread the word about PIeducation.com:

• C.R. “Bob” Brown
• Rick Nelson
• Darrell Webber
• Linda McCarley-Schiro
• William Pope
• Debra Ferrara
• Kevin Thompson
• Billy Engle
• Marsha Kerrigan
• David Pelligrinelli
• “Denise”
• Bill Golodner
• Mitch Davis

If I missed someone on this list a BIG, HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who entered!  If you haven’t already, you can stay updated with the latest news, announcements and contests like this by subscribing to Pursuit Magazine (for free) on our home page and also becoming our fan on FACEBOOK.

Warmest Regards,

Stephanie Mitchell

Manager of Continuing Education and eLearning, IRBsearch
Managing Editor, Pursuit Magazine

Which leads me to announce our first contest!

We will award a $200 IRBstore.com gift certificate (http://IRBstore.com) to the investigator who submits what we feel is the best title for our new online Surveillance course.  We will also choose a runner-up winner and award him or her a free PIeducation.com course, an $89.95 value.

You can post your suggested titles in the comments section below or email them to me at info@pursuitmag.com. Be sure to leave your contact information too. Entries must be submitted to us before 5:00pm (CST) on Wednesday, January, 27 2010 in order to be eligible. On Thursday, January 28, 2009, we will announce the winner here on Pursuit Magazine and notify the winners by email.

If we end up using the winning title for the course, we will acknowledge the winner in the courses’ “acknowledgments and bibliography” section too.

Enter as many suggestions as you want but please do use Google to check whether the title is sufficiently original.   Remember, all entries must be submitted to us before 5:00pm (CST) on Wednesday, January, 27 2010.

Have fun, thank you and good luck!

Warmest Regards,
Stephanie Mitchell

Manager of Continuing Education and eLearning
http://www.pieducation.com

Managing Editor, Pursuit Magazine
http://www.pursuitmag.com

Surveillance Course Outline

INTRODUCTION TO SURVEILLANCE
The Surveillance Objective

PREPARING FOR THE SURVEILLANCE ASSIGNMENT
Pre-surveillance Investigations
Getting the Right Information from the Client
Choosing a Surveillance Vehicle
Necessary Surveillance Equipment and Gear

CONDUCTING SURVEILLANCE
Visual Surveillance
Mobile Surveillance
Tailing Methods and Tactics
Positioning and Setting Up
Rural Surveillance
Blending
Night Surveillance
Making Positive Identification of your Subject
Your Own Powers of Observation
Managing Confrontation
Being Approached by Law Enforcement
Courtesy Surveillance Notification
Pretexting
Pretext Scenarios and Examples
Counter Surveillance Indicators
Surveillance Tricks of the Trade
Summer Surveillance Considerations
Winter Surveillance Issues
Managing Emotional and Physical Stress
Improving Your Surveillance Product

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS
Investigative Notes
An Investigator’s Guide to Writing Well
The Surveillance Report
Writing Excellent Surveillance Reports
Emerging Internet Tools for Pre-Surveillance Checks and Surveillance Reports
Using Internet Mapping & Imaging in your Surveillance Report
Submitting the Final Report: Security, Compatibility and Portability

COLLECTING THE EVIDENCE & PREPARING FOR COURT
Laying a Foundation for Trial
What is allowed on Surveillance Video?
Editing Surveillance Video for Court
Editing Digital Photography for Court
Tips for the Surveillance Investigator Testifying in Court

NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SURVEILLANCE METHODS
Wireless and Remote Image Transmission Technology
GPS Tracking Devices
Surveillance over the Internet
Video over IP
Computer Monitoring

THE LEGAL ASPECTS OF SURVEILLANCE
Laws and Traffic Violations
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

Common Surveillance Terminology

Without a doubt, missing persons cases are truly among the most challenging assignments professional investigators face in their career.  There are many  tools available in the investigation of missing persons cases; all fifty states have missing person clearinghouses and some of them provide via their website’s search-able bulletins regarding missing persons, photos (if available),  descriptors of the missing person and other information regarding the missing persons’ case.

Now there is a free online national database recently introduced and available to the general public. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, also known as NAMUS.  This particular database contains information that has been entered by medical examiners and coroners nationwide. You can search the database by using descriptors such as sex, race, distinct body features and even dental information.

I find it to be a great source to assist the work and efforts of many individuals and organizations who investigate missing and unidentified persons.  The following video discusses the immediate impact is has had thus far:

For more information, visit http://www.namus.gov/.

Pursuit Magazine is proudly announcing the launch of our new private investigator job website, Our PI job board will provide career seekers the perfect place to find private investigator jobs and agency recruiters with a much needed vehicle for targeting professional investigators. PursuitMag.com has become a crucial resource for industry professionals looking for fresh content related to agency marketing, news, industry events, legislation, technology and gear.

You can visit our PI job and career portal at http://pursuitmag.com/jobs – but hurry!

Job seekers can post their resumes online and recruiters can search resumes for free at Pursuit Magazine’s Private Investigator Jobs but only until January 1, 2010 when we plan to charge a small fee for each.

We understand that recruiting and developing talent is a challenge for this industry, so employers will always be able register and post job vacancy announcements for free and job seekers will always be able to search through and apply for those jobs for free.

Lastly, I want to thank you for being great fans of Pursuit Magazine.  I hope that you will find the Pursuit Magazine job site to be a natural addition to the world’s leading online publication and professional investigator web portal already reaching 150,000+ monthly visitors and several thousand subscribers.  We also hope that you will tell a friend about us.

We wish you a Merry Christmas, a joyous Holiday Season and a hugely prosperous New Year!

“In Relentless Pursuit of your Success”

Stephanie Mitchell
Manager, Continuing Education and eLearning
Managing Editor of Pursuit Magazine
IRBsearch, LLC

http://www.PIEducation.com
Online Continuing Education for Private Investigators
Accepted in TX, TN, IA, OK, KS, OR, SC, LA, KY and NM.

http://www.PursuitMag.com
The Journal of Professional Excellence for Investigators
Subscribe and read past articles and issues, all for FREE!

http://IRBsearch.com
IRBsearch is the national premiere provider of online risk management services for private investigators, process servers, recovery agents, and bail bondsmen in the United States. IRBsearch offers The Most information, The Best data sources, and The Fastest delivery for locating people, businesses, and their assets.

We join the rest of our blessed nation on this Veterans Day in remembering the sacrifices and bravery of America’s 25 million veterans. We honor you now and always and thank you for your incredible sacrifice of selflessness, loyalty and devotion to this country.

Stephanie Mitchell's Brother and Father

While training, certification and other association business was discussed by committee chairpersons, one of the main topics of discussion centered on proposed Alabama Senate Bill 24 that has been pre-filed for 2010 legislative consideration and heavily favored by the APIA Board of Directors in attendance. This legislation, known as the Alabama Private Investigators Licensing and Regulatory Act, would create a commission to regulate and license Private investigators in Alabama. All new private investigator applicants will be required to pass an examination administered by the commission designed to measure knowledge and competence in the investigations field and investigators will be required to have 6 hours of continuing education each calendar year.

Association members in attendance elected new officers for the 2010 Board of Directors and enjoyed a free lunch at Mr. Wang’s Chinese Restaurant, but the real highlight of the day was special guest speaker Nancy Kersh. She is an amazing woman and we were all deeply moved by her story…

The Nadia Kersh Story

Nadia Kersh

November 2008 – After several years in Guam, Nancy and Kevin Kersh were very excited to be returning to the U.S. As a military family, they traveled quite a bit and Kevin had just obtained a position at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. They were particularly excited about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and a visit from their daughter Nadia and their grandson.

Before they could even settle in, on November 5, 2008 Nancy and Kevin received frightening news that their daughter Nadia had been missing since November 3, 2008 and that foul play was suspected. Nadia Kersh was last seen on surveillance video leaving her work at the Tria Market in Homewood, Alabama for her lunch break on November 3, 2008. Nadia apparently left her job in the early afternoon to pick up her 1 year old son from day care but never arrived.

The very next day in West Birmingham, AL, Nadia`s car was found abandoned and her purse was found in a nearby wooded area by some railroad tracks. The Homewood Police Department, FBI, and other federal, state, and local agencies have been actively investigating this case for over a year. It is believed Nadia was a victim of a violent crime and the Homewood Police Department is building a case against their prime suspect.

Now, One Year Later…

Nancy discussed her very personal experiences of facing a missing person crisis and how she dealt with it. She shared some very important personal experiences and issues as a result of being approached by private investigators during the early stages of the investigation into the disappearance of her daughter.

Keep the following in mind when dealing with the families of missing person’s cases:

• A private investigator should always keep in mind that although the first 48 hours following the disappearance of a person are said to be the most critical in a missing person’s case, they are also the most emotional and chaotic for the family. This may not be an appropriate time to solicit your services. It is often a good idea to leave the early stages of an investigation up to law enforcement when foul play is suspected.

If and when you do offer your services to a family:

• Treat missing persons and their families with respect
• Do not forget to convey to them – “I am so sorry for what you are going through….” It is so important to remember that family members’ lives have been turned upside down. Mrs. Kersh said that “I’m sorry…” were the two most important words she never heard.
• Expect the family to ask questions; it is their right after all.
• Recognize that family members may not be able to think rationally or make decisions for some time. Give them the space they deserve. Leave your business card rather than trying to make a hard-sell or calling them.
• Cooperate fully with law enforcement.
• Keep the family informed. Family members have a right to information.
• Never discount their hopes or their fears.
• Respect the rights of individuals, act within the boundaries of the law and be professional.

I cannot begin to imagine how extremely frightening, stressful and difficult it must be for families going through such an experience. The Kersh family is a true testament of strength, courage, and determination. You are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

Thank you Nancy, for sharing Nadia’s story…

If you have any information on Nadia Kersh’s disappearance, please call Homewood Police at 332-6262, or leave a tip with the Homewood Police Department Website.

Want to learn more? Head to www.HelpFindNadia.com

Stephanie Mitchell
Managing Editor, Pursuit Magazine

Video of Council Member Garodnick Announcing Reform of Fraudulent Process Service on September 3, 2009. Garidnick wants legislation requiring New York process servers and agencies to have a surety bond, or insurance in order to be licensed due to rampant and fraudulent default judgments.

As a specific case in point, a White Plains, NY woman by the name of Margaret Murtagh has filed a complaint against a law firm and process serving company for… allegedly filing a false affidavit of service stating that she was served a complaint regarding a collections matter.

This is not exactly a new issue in New York involving defendants Zwicker & Associates and American Legal Process. In July of 2009 the New York State Attorney General filed a suit against thirty-five different law firms, including defendant Zwicker, all of which employed American Legal Process. This particular suit alleges almost 100,00 default judgments were entered in the New York Courts based upon false affidavits prepared by process servers who were employed by American Legal Process.

To view the latest complaint see: http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/10/20/DefaultJs.pdf

A chamber of commerce is comprised of many business owners whose primary goal is to further the interests of businesses. You will find that a local Chamber does not limit the number of people who can join from any one profession or industry. You will meet and network with many business owners from various industries that may eventually broaden your client base and reach.

Here are ten very important reasons to utilize your local Chamber of Commerce as a marketing tool:

1. Making New Business Contacts – Chamber members gain access to hundreds of prospective customers for their business. You can obtain a directory listing, mailing labels and contact lists by being a member of your local are Chamber. Local Chamber events also allow you to introduce yourself, your business, and network with other members of the Chamber.

2. Effective, Low Cost Advertising Opportunities – Advertising opportunities through the Chamber are generally only available to members. The Chamber often develop and maintain relocation packets and newsletters they disburse to other potential business owners, current business owners, potential residents and current residents inquiring for specific services. Most Chambers also offer a directory listing in print and on their web pages. Advertising on the chamber website is often very effective and inexpensive.

3. Publicity & Exposure – Many local Chambers allow you to put company-related materials on display at their events or in their lobby. Three business showcases each year give our members an additional way to promote their products and services to the public, as well as fellow Chamber members. Member business can also gain publicity and exposure through a free ribbon cutting. Finally, our weekly Chamber Link newsletter is a way to share your information with other Chamber members.

4. Ongoing Training for Business Professionals – Some Chambers hold training seminars to provide a way for Chamber members to continue their business education.

5. Member Discounts – Many Chamber businesses offer member to member discounts on their services. In addition to business and government connections, membership in your local chamber often will offer your business a variety of benefits including group health care insurance access, advertising opportunities, discounts from local merchants, reduced BWC premiums and more!

6. Credibility - Many members of the community consider Chamber membership to be a sign of a reputable, established business. Chamber of Commerce organizations receive hundreds of phone calls each year from individuals checking to see if a business is a Chamber member.

7. Recommendations and Referrals – Remember, while all of the people you network with at the Chamber provide services, they also need services, or may know someone who does. From tourists to new residents, people call the local Chambers for service referrals all the time. As a member, you are generally put on a referral list. This increases your customer base and revenue that much more.

8. Supporting your Community – As a Chamber member you are also supporting many other business owners thus supporting your community as a whole. Trust me…those efforts do not go unnoticed. People will remember you.

9. Free Services – Local Chamber groups sometimes offer a variety of free services to their Chamber members. My Chamber organization offers free new member orientations, free Notary Public services, free use of the office equipment at our Chamber office, such as the fax machine and scanner. We are also able to post job openings and view resumes of people looking for jobs in the area for free. Additionally, our Chamber sponsors local legal associations providing small business owners an opportunity to bounce off ideas, issues and strategies in an informal setting via free one-on-one counseling sessions. What a great way to meet attorneys!

10. A Chamber Exists to Serve Members – Local Chamber groups are generally very proactive on issues affecting legislation and local economic development in their area. As a business owner it is important for you to stay abreast with such issues that may affect your business.

Just simply becoming a member of your local Chamber is not enough to make this marketing and networking tool work. You have to put some work and effort into your membership…Here are some tips on making this marketing campaign work.

* Find a Chamber- Show up and sign up.
* Volunteer to be a guest speaker for one of their meetings or events.
* Get involved – volunteer for a committee or event. Chambers sponsor golf tournaments, networking events, annual meetings, auctions, business expos, job fairs or other events that are ideally suited for your offerings, thus gaining some valuable exposure.
* Write articles for their newsletters and/or publications.
* Become a leader – Join a Board of Directors.
* Get to know your Chamber staff, ask how you can be of assistance to them. Before you know it you will be on a first name basis!
* Hand out lots of business cards and brochures at events and meetings. Many Chambers allow you to leave such material in their offices on display racks and such.
* Be an Active Member and Expert in your Field
* Listen to others! Remember at meetings you are there to listen. Go to network and gather information. Ask questions and demonstrate genuine interest in other members and businesses. Be professional and you will be remembered.
* Mingle. Don’t congregate with the same people over and over. Meet and greet new members. Sit with a new group of people every time you go to a meeting or event. Broaden your horizons and networking base.

Every business owner should make it a point to investigate their local chamber of commerce. Find out where the office is and request a membership information package. Before joining sign up for an event or two to see whether the membership is a good fit for you and your business. As I said before, many Chamber groups allow you to come to one event for free to check things out. During the process of choosing your Chamber group make sure you have chosen one that knows how to hold successful networking events and has a strong and thriving membership with proven leadership.

You can find your local Chamber at ChamberFind.com

ChamberPeople – For some added social networking check out this chamber-focused social network complete with discussion boards, member blogging, and easy networking with your peers: ChamberPeople.com

As a process server I find that my skills at times are tested. When these difficult serves arise I must remember that I am an investigator first. Process servers and investigators alike must have the skills of creativity, logic, communication and the ability to use innovative techniques to complete an efficient serve.

Planning and Preparation:
Planning and preparation is so important to any successful process server. As part of your preparation for an assignment, you should always gather as much information as possible on the individual you are about to serve.
As a standard, I always ask the client if the following information is available on the individual I am about to serve:

• Name, address and personal phone numbers
• Work address and work phone number
• Aliases or nicknames
• What kind of vehicle do they drive? Year, make, model, color or other unique identifiers are helpful too.
• Does the client have a picture or physical description of the person to be served?
• Is there a specific time service should be made?
• Have they been avoiding service or are they expecting and agreeable to service?
• Can the documents be sub-served?
• Is the individual known to be violent?

I also like to do a quick pre-surveillance check of the area in which I will be serving by using a variety of Internet tools such as Google Maps, Google Street Views and Microsoft’s Bing Maps (formerly Live Maps). This allows me to get familiar with the surroundings, alerts me to any potential hazards and may identify any other entry points to the address.

A prepared process server is a successful process server!

Unwilling and Evasive Individuals
Our standard service of process rates are based on 3 diligent attempts over a period of six days at varying times. What happens if I do not get the individual on the 3rd attempt or they appear to evading service?

Search Public Records. Before charging any additional costs to my client, I like to quickly check my local clerk’s public records on line. I check for pending court cases and updated information. I have found pending court cases on many individuals and ended up serving them in court right before their appearance. In searching these free public records, I have also found updated addresses that our client may not have had.

Conduct Simple Internet Research. Sometimes a lot of information about a person can be found through just a simple Internet search. I found an individual’s current employment address just by viewing their Linkedin Profile.

Talk to Neighbors. Talk to neighbors to find out the habits or whereabouts of the individual you are trying to serve. Sometimes you will find that the individual is on vacation or works odd hours. Always be cautious when talking to neighbors; they do not need to know anything about the case or the true nature of your visit (you don’t want the neighbor to put your defendant on notice).

Take Notes. Document all evidence that supports the fact that the individual you have been trying to serve is evading service. Attorneys can often file a pleading to the court regarding the evasive defendant and they will need your factual information in order to do so.

Remember to always work out a cost effective plan with your client to deal with unwilling or evasive individuals ahead of time. Here are some additional service techniques that many of us use in these difficult situations:

1. Find out if a request for a change of address has been filed with the Post Office.
2. Skip trace the subject using a dependable nationwide database provider, this can often yield additional billable hours or service fees.
3. Conduct a stakeout. We oftentimes can serve difficult service after a short surveillance and “service by ambush.” This is another lucrative add-on service!
4. If you have phone numbers for the individual, use creative pretexting techniques.
   Of course before conducting any skip trace or pretext remember to follow your state laws and regulations:
   • NEVER represent yourself as a law enforcement officer, clergyman, employee or member of an actual company.
   • MAINTAIN CONFIDENTIALITY. Do not reveal personal or intimate information about your subject to individuals having no right to or need for such information.
   • NEVER use your correct name or leave your telephone number.
   • NEVER pretext to obtain information from financial institutions, telephone companies or other protected information.
5. Be innovative and creative. Sometimes you just have to think outside of the box. Serving evasive individuals is like a game of “cat and mouse,” but by putting your investigative expertise and creativity to work you can often catch the individual off guard. For example… I had to serve a taxi driver once and he was evading service at his home and at work. I ended up calling his taxi service and asked for the driver to pick me up at my office; the call was under the pretense that I needed a ride to the airport. When he came to pick me up, I was able to serve him successfully… Out of courtesy, I paid his cab fare to my location… it was worth the effort and the client did not mind picking up the tab on this very important assignment.

There is a pretty good chance that you will outsmart your evasive or unwilling recipient by using creative techniques, thinking quickly and being persistent. If you are in doubt of using an unusual method of service of process consult with your attorney to ensure you are operating within the laws and regulations of your jurisdiction.

If you have some innovative, creative tips and tricks of serving evasive clients I would love to hear from you. Join us on our forum to discuss additional difficult process serving tips in detail.

We have worked very hard to extend our readership and forum to investigators around the world. Our network of subscribers continues to grow and as a result of numerous requests, we found it necessary to provide Pursuit Magazine in other languages.

We have added a translation engine to our site and I believe it does a great job in translating the articles and site navigation.

Today the translation engine allows you to view written content and links in Italian, Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Dutch, Hindi, Hebrew, and Thai.

If any of our international readers would like another language added to this list please write to us by clicking here.

Translate Editing Steps:

In the right column of our home page look for the following icon:

Click on the country’s flag you would like translated and the entire Pursuit Magazine web page will be transformed into the language you selected.

It’s not perfect, but it is a very easy and cool way to get a rudimentary translation!

“In Relentless Pursuit of Your Success”

Stephanie Mitchell

Editor of Pursuit Magazine