04/01/2008 by admin.

“Being a Private Investigator is one of the most lucrative, glamorous and respected industries to be in. Win the envy of your friends and colleagues and demand high fees in an industry where no two days are the same”.

If you believe the marketing hype which is used to sell franchises and training manuals to people with little or no experience in investigation, then you may as well spend your money on something more tangible and useful. Being a PI is not an easy ticket to riches. As an unregulated industry (although it is in the pipeline once the SIA (Security Industry Authority) sort out the finer details) anyone can get up one morning, call themselves a Private Investigator or Private Detective and start trading right away. In theory.

It is true to say that some of the best investigators in the industry have come from normal everyday backgrounds and jobs.

It is also true that a Detective Agency can be set up on a shoestring, but I make no bones about it, no matter how experienced you are, it will not succeed without hard work and determination.

Many Investigators are experienced ex-police officers or military operatives with years of useful transferable skills under their belts. Others are seasoned security professionals who come from all manner of commercial, banking and insurance backgrounds.

But even the most time served detectives will struggle in the beginning without the right direction, motivation, training and experience.

I have known many an ex-police officer who could not detect a pickled onion in a fruit salad if they ate it piece by piece. Without the back-up of an established squad of officers, intelligence data bases and the PNC (Police National Computer) they can get a little lost out there, alone in the big wide world with nothing but their wits and old war stories to get them by.

So if you are considering setting up a Detective Agency I wish you every success but believe me it can only succeed with the right ingredients, input and motivation.

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27/12/2007 by admin.

Santa Claus could be breaking privacy laws in his collection and use of data about children, experts have warned. Yuletide cheer-bringer Claus could be putting the personal data of millions of children at risk.

Data protection laws lay down strict conditions for the use of personal data and there is no evidence that Claus has an adequate compliance program in place.

Children across the world who write letters to Claus with a list of gift requests are not told for how long that data is kept, or if it will be used for other purposes such as marketing by third parties.

The U.K. Data Protection Act, for example, stipulates that data should not be kept for longer than necessary, which would mean December 25th, though Claus may argue that he needs to keep the letters for six years to use in any gift-related lawsuits.

“There is a stream of questions Santa has yet to answer,” said William Malcolm, a data protection specialist at Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-law.com. “Is this information used for anything other than present giving? Information passes out of the EU, so does Santa check the letters for unambiguous, specific and informed consent to this overseas transfer?”

Out-Law’s attempts to put the questions to Claus were hindered by the lack of an office chimney. Eventually the questions were put up a domestic chimney but no response was received by time of publication.

The U.K. Data Protection Act says that you must inform someone when you are collecting data about them, and tell them what the purpose of collection is.

What about the naughty/nice database?” said Malcolm. “Are children given notice that behavioral data is being collected about them throughout the year? And does it qualify as covert monitoring, which would breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights?”

Mmmmmmm…...

Food for thought.

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16/12/2007 by admin.

When someone rings a Private Investigator it is likely that it is their first time and more often than not they don’t comprehend how ‘it‘ works.

The proportion of clients who ring and want action on the same day is high. Most have the idea that Pi’s are just waiting for the next call. This is not the case. We have an ongoing caseload and all jobs require planning and scheduling. In some cases dependant on the circumstances we can deploy agents on the same day.

At Trident Investigations we are an established company who are registered at Companies House, VAT Registered and DPA registered. We have a duty of care to the agents we employ and to the persons we investigate as well as looking after the interests of the client themselves.

We conduct a certain amount of due diligence and checking ourselves to verify that the client is who they say they are and that the investigation is legal and ethical. After the initial consultation and the agreement of terms. We will send out a contract which will be delivered in either hard copy or electronic format and this will set out the terms and conditions of the investigation. 

Some people will prefer that this sent in email format for reasons of privacy and discretion. On occasions where an urgent investigation is required we may meet the client in person. We will ask for a retainer payment in advance from unknown private clients before starting the investigation. A balance may be either paid on a monthly invoice or on a pay as you go basis. These can be paid by Cheque, Cash (by arrangement only) or by credit or debit card through our website. In all cases a receipt will be issued.

From both our Daventry, Northamptonshire and Croydon, Surrey office we can conduct enquiries across the UK. For further information on the services we provide please Call 0845 643 1923 or see www.tridentinvestigations.co.uk

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13/12/2007 by admin.

…… are often the first words uttered when I personally meet a client.

 ”Well what did you expect?” comes the obvious reply.

The answer to the reply often differs, but one thing is for certain. Cheesy American TV shows and British Docu-dramas have not only influenced the description of what a private detective might look like, but also what is possible and legal to achieve.

I am equally at home in a tailored suit as I am in rigger boots and a high-visibility jacket, and the car I drive is not flash, expensive or noticeable; And for good reason.

I dress for the occasion and it doesn’t pay to stand out. In many cases the clients are not met at all, but they are often seen and might even pass me on the street. This happens frequently in private cases.

So next time you see a man walking a dog down your road, think on.

To speak to an investigator in complete confidence please call 0845 643 1923 or see our main website for further information on our fees and services.

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