Case management is the foundation of every successful investigation.
Case management should begin the moment a potential client calls. As the old adage goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, how will you ever get there?
In this article, I’ll outline the five components of our firm’s approach to case management.
1. Assessment
When a client calls to request an investigation, we immediately assess the request to determine several factors:
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- Does the request fall within the scope of my capabilities and services offered?
- Is the requested investigation legal?
- Based on the available information, am I likely to obtain the result the client is seeking?
- Is there any potential conflict of interest associated with the requested investigation?
First of all, our company is all for referring cases to other firms if we can’t complete the client’s request. For example, our firm does not offer infidelity or child custody investigations, so we always refer these to an agency that we know does good work on these types of cases. We do the same with investigative requests that could pose a conflict of interest based on previous clients we’ve serviced.
Occasionally, we get requests for investigations that are not legal for us to complete. In those situations, we advise the client that we can’t take the case and explain why not.
After the initial case assessment, if we decide to accept the file from the client, we move on to the research stage of the investigation.
Takeaway: There’s nothing wrong with referring an investigation to another investigator if the client requests a service that you don’t offer or can’t get done in a timely manner. Some dimes — and even dollars — are worth stepping over.
2. Research
I cannot stress enough the importance of verifying that the information in the client file is correct and up to date. Failures of due diligence could very well have you conducting surveillance on an incorrect address or tailing the wrong vehicle — a mistake that’s at best, expensive for the client and embarrassing for you, and at worst, might get you into hot water for harassment.
This is where OSINT superpowers come in handy. Be sure the information you have matches what you find on social media, government databases, and public records — leave no stone unturned. Again, I caution you: skipping this step could leave you with egg on your face, and I’m not talking about your leftover breakfast.
Takeaway: Double-check the subject’s address, vehicle, job, and names of associates before beginning surveillance.
3. Planning
By this stage, your assessment and preliminary research will have laid a solid foundation for the investigation. I’ve written in depth on planning investigations in previous articles, so I’ll briefly recap the essential points below:
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- If the investigation has you traveling out of town, plan your accommodations ahead of time. Stay as close to your target as possible, and prepare a cover story in advance.
- If your investigation is local, do some recon on your surveillance/vantage points to be sure they are suitable.
- Identify the equipment you’ll need and ensure all is in working order and time and date stamps are set correctly. Bare minimum, the following equipment should be included in your tool kit: camera with long-range zoom capability, video camera, covert and wearable cameras, night vision camera gear, disguises and a laptop or iPad.
- Identify and manage potential risks. Have a contingency plan that provides a quick exit from surveillance points if discovered.
Bonus tip: The above list is by no means exhaustive. Get new ideas by reading up on other operatives’ methods — in articles on this subject written by me and other authors. Knowledge is power!
4. Implementation
All that rigorous case assessment, research, and planning you did up front will now come into play as you move into the actual investigation stage. Your pre-investigation work arms you with a clear purpose and laser focus on the result the client is seeking or the question they want answered. Your case research will have confirmed the target’s background information, and your planning will have you ready to jump into action with all the gear and knowledge required to obtain the required results.
You’ll likely have a finite window of opportunity to obtain as much information as possible. When you head out on assignment each day, be prepared to stay in your vehicle or at the surveillance point for as long as is needed. This means preparing accordingly for food, bathroom, charging devices, and anything else you might need. I won’t go into too much detail on these points, but they need to be addressed in a way that prevents you from breaking surveillance — or soiling that nice upholstery.
Takeaway: Surveillance is no last-minute matter. Pack your go-bag the night before. Be sure everything is charged. Imagine how the day might unfold — and all that can go wrong. As the Boy Scouts say, always be prepared.
5. Reporting
You’ve completed your investigation. Now it’s time to report the results to your client.
This is not the time to take your foot off the gas. A perfectly planned and executed investigation can still be tanked by a lousy report. Keep in mind that most — if not all —investigative results could end up before a court or tribunal. You want your final investigative report to be accurate, polished, and easy to understand.
Confirm that all documents and supporting evidence attached to the report are legally sound. This means video date and time stamps are accurate and legible, affidavits contain the required signatures, images of third parties not involved in the investigation are depersonalized, and the report itself is free of grammatical errors.
If the target never left their residence, or the investigation was compromised for some other reason, explain these factors in your final report. The fee you charge your clients entitles them to a full explanation of the actions you took and the results or your investigation, even when you can’t always obtain the desired outcome for your client.
Takeaway: The report is your work product — the part of the investigation your client actually sees. Don’t rush through it.
About the author:
Rod Thompson is president of Metro Surveillance and Investigations, based in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. Rod is a licensed private investigator and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Police Studies and a Certificate of Criminology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. You can learn more about Rod and his company by visiting www.metroinvestigations.ca