FAQs

At Security & Investigative Services, we strive to provide results-driven services at a reasonable price. The decision to use a private investigator or hire security personnel may be a once-in-a-lifetime event, but it does not have to be financially painful. Don’t be fooled by web-based service providers that claim to find out anything or anyone for a ridiculously low price. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Our policy is to give transparent estimates with no extra or hidden costs and to provide a truly valuable services for our clients. We will not exceed the amount of your retainer without contacting you first for consultation and authorization. Retainers can vary greatly depending on the services requested, but below are a few baseline numbers for your reference.

• Travel Expenses: Usually $0.70 per mile for company vehicles (charged from the County Government Center nearest to the subject). Commercial fares (plane, bus, train, ferry, subway, etc.) are billed at cost.
• Rate for Investigative Services: $100.00 per hour (if any of your requested services require different billing, we will advise you in advance)
• Rate for Security Services: Varies greatly depending on the nature of the job, the required personnel and equipment, and the level of risk

For more information on costs and billing, please contact us.

Absolutely. We offer certification courses for armed and unarmed security professionals. We also offer training beyond the initial certification requirements so you can better prepare yourself to effectively handle whatever situations your security duties might require you to confront.

Yes! We offer security guard placement services, security guard referrals, and security guard training (for armed and unarmed personnel). We’d be happy to help you find the right security professional to meet your needs.

Absolutely. Just contact us and we’ll get started.

Most likely, yes. Many of our investigators are able to work in a number of other states, and we also have a dependable network of affiliates who we can work with to take care of your needs.

We appreciate that you are trying to help your friend, family member, or employer. To the extent we can do so legally and ethically, we will gladly work with you in order to protect the party you are hoping to help.

We try to serve the needs of our clients as best we can. Depending upon the subject, location and availability of our field investigators, we may be able to work a case on very short notice. However, the better lead-time we have, the better we will be able to handle your request. We do not charge extra for rush cases.

‘Bugging’ or electronic eavesdropping is a vastly misunderstood area. There is no single device that can detect surveillance microphones or cameras, regardless of what the so-called ‘spy stores’ are trying to sell. We do conduct bug sweeps, using a wide array of devices and techniques. This can be a very involved process. Please contact us for more information.

No. To do so would place us in a position of potential liability should something go wrong.

No. Our investigators have developed their techniques and equipment through years of experience and education and to share those techniques would not be advantageous for them or us. But generally speaking, please rest assured that we are very resourceful, patient, and tenacious. We take pride in finding creative ways to meet your investigative needs.

Over the years, we have utilized passenger cars, sports utility vehicles, vans, trucks, stationary vehicles, roadwork vehicles, bicycles, skateboards, skates, scooters, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, jet skis and boats. We have a vehicle for every situation. For those surveillance situations when a vehicle will not work, we have climbed into hollowed-out trees, crept through poison oak, crawled through deer trails and climbed mountains. We have jogged, walked dogs, sold items door-to-door and used many other creative techniques. Whatever it takes to work your case, we will do it. Most importantly, we never trespass or break any harassment or anti-stalking laws while doing so.

No. Our investigators work exclusively for us and undergo a lengthy, selective screening and training process before they are allowed to work on their own in the field. If your investigation requires out-of-state work that we cannot conduct, we will contact an investigator from our network of affiliates.

We have a four-hour minimum when it comes to surveillance. We will gladly conduct more than four hours, but no less. We will work with you to determine the best strategy for conducting surveillance. In many cases, the four hours can be split into different days, however.

We will schedule surveillance to meet your situation, and will have one of our field investigators at their assigned location fifteen to twenty minutes prior to the agreed-upon start time.

Usually we can begin once we receive your retainer.

Absolutely. We understand that the nature of your case may not be something you wish to discuss with co-workers, friends or family. Much of what we do is highly personal and we will work with you to determine the best means of communication.

Additionally, if your case results in a report and evidence, we will send the information to you at whatever email and/or physical address you wish. If you do not wish to receive a hard copy of the report and evidence, for whatever reason, we will not send one. Our mission is to serve your needs to the best of our abilities, whatever those needs may be.

We will not discuss any aspect of your case with anyone for any reason, nor will we confirm or deny that you have even hired us without your written consent. We will not share any case information with anyone other than yourself or your attorney, should an attorney be involved, without your written consent. If you have an attorney, you will need to let us know their name and advise us that they will be calling before we will talk with them.

We believe that personal issues should remain personal.

Yes, we can. Our technical department is one of the best in the industry, and you simply wouldn’t believe some of the things we have been able to do with miniature cameras. And no, we’re not going to tell.

If we believe your request to be illegal or unethical, we will not take your case. We operate within a very strict code of ethics, as well as in accordance to all applicable laws. If there are other investigators out there who may entertain requests for unlawful or unethical tactics, we do not associate with them and will not provide referrals for their services.

No, we cannot. We are not attorneys. Our investigators gather evidence, but they cannot tell you the legal implications or trial admissibility of that evidence. If you need legal advice, we strongly recommend that you contact an attorney.

Unfortunately, popular (but unrealistic) television shows have created a false impression that investigators often engage in this sort of intervention. We do not. Our mission is to simply obtain and provide you with the evidence you need. What you do with that evidence – and how you handle the facts it reveals – is up to you. We take any role in creating a public spectacle.

Absolutely not. We’re aware that there are “investigators” out there who provide this type of service. They clutter the daytime talk shows with their stories and video footage. While that might make for salacious television, it is unprofessional and unethical. Our investigators take pride in gathering evidence that is reliable and not tainted or unduly influenced. We do not entrap subjects into any particular behavior, nor would we ever insert ourselves into the daily activities of anyone we surveil.

We understand that infidelity can be a heartbreaking, life-changing experience and our mission is to get the information you need. We will treat you and your case with the care and compassion you deserve. We will gather objective evidence in the form of photos, video, audio, or documents. However, we are not counselors or behavioral analysts, and cannot provide definitive explanations for whatever the evidence may depict. Once we provide you with our findings, it will be up to you to draw your own conclusions as to what that evidence means.

Yes. We provide copies of our evidence in your choice of DVD or CD-Rom. We will also provide a final report, which will contain an accounting of our findings and an invoice, detailing how your money was used. We only use high-quality digital video recording devices, but we can take still images from the video should you need them.

No, and anyone who makes such a guarantee should be regarded with suspicion. Our job is to research and investigate the facts and to conduct surveillance. It is entirely up to the subject of our investigation to do (or have done) the things you suspect them of doing.

We will need payment for the full retainer amount prior to beginning your investigation.

For expediency and security, we use PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can still make a credit card payment through PayPal. You may also submit a check for the retainer, but we will need to wait for the check to clear before beginning the investigation.

There are agencies out there that will “lowball” an estimate just to get your money. Once they start the case, they will add additional costs and nickel-and-dime you for everything they can. We believe investigators who conduct their business that way are unethical and an embarrassment to the profession. If we give you an estimate, we will do everything possible to stay within that amount and provide you with the service you need.

At this point, we will give an estimate for our services. If the estimate amount works for you, we will need you to supply us with as much information as you have for your case and we will get started. Just contact us to move forward.

Whenever possible, yes. However, our first priority when performing surveillance is to keep an eye on the subject and accordingly, our investigator may not be able to talk with you right away.

Every case is different. If we are conducting surveillance, we are at the mercy of the person we are watching, and we have no control over their actions. If, for example, the subject spends the day driving around town, we will need to charge for the mileage. If the subject goes into a nightclub that has a cover charge, we may need to enter the club to get the evidence you need. We don’t know how the investigation will proceed, or what additional services you will request, until we have commenced.

Again, you will have control over whether or not to exceed the agreed-upon retainer amount. If we are getting close to going over the retainer amount, we will contact you and the decision to stop or continue will be yours. We do guarantee that you will receive a thorough, timely, and professional investigation that will either solve or move you much closer to your case objective.

Set aside at least fifteen minutes where you can talk openly about your situation without being overheard by uninvolved parties (co-workers, children, etc.). If for any reason you are concerned about being monitored – by your spouse, for example – be sure to use a friend’s cell phone, a secure email address, and a credit card that your spouse will not see. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. We are here to help.

Each case is different and we can’t estimate an average. Whatever the case, we will take however much time is needed to address your situation and needs.

We do not charge for the consultation. Our goal with the consultation is to simply ascertain your needs and see if we can help.

It’s okay. We’re adults, and we’ve seen it all. Whatever your situation, you can rest assured that we will treat you with respect and discretion.

We understand that for many people, this is a new experience and we try our best to make it easy. Give us a call and let us know what it is that you need and we will work with you to develop a strategy that will work for you.