Developing Your Own Powers of Observation

Developing your powers of observationThe power of observation is simply the ability to see clearly, retain, and then record your observations accurately.

Proper use of this basic principle in all investigative processes not only helps develop solutions to difficult questions, but it teaches investigators who use it to reason analytically in each step of their investigation. Skip tracers must use a certain pattern of thought to lead from one step to the next. Leaving out steps due to preconceived notions, are a disservice to a skip tracer’s work. It is necessary to use good, sound, methodology to ensure success. Above all else, the powers of observation are integral to what we do.

American jurist William Wirt once said, “Perhaps there is no property in which men are more distinguished from each other, than in the various degrees in which they possess the faculty of observation. The great herd of mankind pass their lives in listless inattention and indifference as to what is going on around them, while those who are destined to distinction have a lynx-eyed vigilance that nothing can escape.”

The fictional detective Sherlock Holmes is a familiar character with notoriously astute powers of observation. In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes story, “The Red-Headed League”, Holmes states the following about Jabez Wilson, whom he has just met, “Beyond the obvious facts that he has at some time done manual labor, that he takes snuff, that he is a Freemason, that he has been to China, and that he has done a considerable amount of writing lately, I can deduce nothing else.” After a single glance, Holmes was able to deduce all these points about Wilson. He stated of his method of detection, “You know my method. It is founded upon the observation of trifles.” Holmes also said to Dr. Watson, “Not invisible but unnoticed, Watson. You did not know where to look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring you to realize the importance of sleeves, the suggestiveness of thumbnails, or the great issues that may hang from a bootlace.” Holmes was a proponent of the basic theorem that everything is significant.

How does a person become an effective observer? The first way is consciously practicing the discipline of looking and remembering. Effective observation depends on a properly trained memory. In an investigation, vision is worthless if not retained. Your own powers of observation are just as important while conducting a missing persons investigation as in any other complex assignment. In your search for the subject you may come across a great deal of information that may not readily be deduced as important. I have both caught and missed glaring examples of what we in the business would call a clue; I really hate it when I miss the obvious importance of small bits of information especially when I am looking over the same tidbits of information for the second or third time. In these moments, I have to tell myself to slow down, take a deep breath and actually see everything I am looking at. Additionally, I like to ask myself questions in order to focus.

Do all of the information and personal identifiers I have collected match? What am I missing that’s important? Have I been through all of my sources? Have I followed a well prepared plan or checklist? Etc., Etc.

By focusing in this way I have picked up on very subtle clues which positively contribute to the funnel process we’ve previously discussed: missed references and emergency contact information, addresses and postmarks on envelopes, account numbers and addresses on checks previously sent to the client by a debtor, the “dealer badge” or license plate frame on the back of a car, caller ID information, license plates, vehicles or obvious location information found in photographs… the list goes on and on.

I remember a case I had a few years ago, I was looking for a bail jumper and had developed an investigative file on him that filled three file folders and at least 50 investigator hours. The bail jumper had failed to appear for court on at least four other occasions. I was sure that I had been through every speck of information at least several times and I was at an absolute stand-still on the assignment. Exasperated and needing a new perspective, I handed the file to my wife who went through it once and pointed out a small hand written address at the bottom of a page in the bond release paperwork that the skip had signed prior to being released from jail. I guess I glossed over the address, but sure enough the address was different from every other address with which I had followed up and should have been obvious that I missed it. I drove by the residence and the subject was out front washing his car (it ended up being his residence) and I closed the assignment about 30 seconds later.

Incidentally, the bail bondsman said that afternoon that the cosigner had called him at least half a dozen times wanting to know how I found the defendant. It would appear that they knew what they were doing and that they had learned from prior mistakes- he and his cosigner (his girlfriend) were professional runners. I imagine that in his haste to complete his paperwork and get out of the “cross bar hotel,” the defendant messed up just once- which in the end was all that I needed to find him (not to mention my more observant wife). This brings me to another valid point… never tell a skip or other runner how you found them… it only makes it harder on the next guy if the subject has to be found again.

Call it professional courtesy.

The important take-away here is that we all need to improve our own powers of observation in an effort to be better investigators. Slowing down, looking over the information with a fresh perspective and realizing that nothing is insignificant.

Having the right tools and never giving up doesn’t hurt either.