F.A.Q
Penumbra Investigations can be integrated into any number of potentially volatile, at-risk situations BEFORE a careless mistake or split-decision spirals out of control. It's important that parents are aware of all of their options in any given situation before resorting to solutions that may conflict with the development of their child's best possible future.
Too often, clients rely on the services of a P.I, only after a potentially avoidable situation devolves into a worst-case scenario. Not all at-risk situations require an investigative eye, but it's never too soon to be safe-instead of sorry. Stalking, substance abuse, bullying and runaways are just a handful of possible acts that can be monitored and confronted before they develop into a full-blown Police matter or a regrettable tragedy.
Of course, the decision to use a Licensed Private Investigator often involves over a 100 years of pop-culture misinformation and a healthy batch of questions that demand honest answers. This F.A.Q. is designed to answer just a few of those questions in advance.
Q: Aren't Licensed Private Investigators expensive?
A: Penumbra Investigations understands that most family-related emergencies aren't pre-budgeted. Retainers are mandatory, but the size of that retainer is built around a client's budget and case-specific needs. Your P.I, will try to accommodate your investigative goals at an affordable fee while remaining as productive as possible in the field.
Q: Will anyone know that I have hired a private Investigator?
A: No. All contracted services are 100% confidential and legally protected by your Licensed Detective's Client Confidentiality rights. These rights are further backed by our signed retainer agreement. Speak to your Investigator about any specific questions you may have on the topic if you're concerned about possible acceptions to the rule.
Q: Can't I just get a friend or relative to do the surveillance?
A: Having a friend or relative conduct surveillance is strongly discouraged. A person conducting surveillance without a Private Investigator’s license may be subject to legal action, including arrest, under certain circumstances. A licensed Private Investigator, acting within the law and pursuant to a contract for services, is exempt from prosecution for certain activities that could land another person in jail. An untrained person without proper equipment is also unlikely to be able to establish or maintain effective surveillance. An untrained person is very likely to miss important information, fail to secure proper proof, and also to get caught, not only revealing that you are suspicious, but possibly putting your friend or relative in danger and ruining any chance you may have had to obtain evidence admissible for court. Additionally, a friend or relative, if called on in Court, will be portrayed as biased in your favor, and their testimony may prove useless to you. A licensed investigator can conduct surveillance efficiently and effectively, is an unbiased witness in court, and is much less likely to be discovered by the subject of the investigation.
Q: What do I do once I've hired an Investigator to conduct surveillance on someone?
A: In most at-risk teen cases, the primary goal is to provide parents with certain information and/or assurances [location, safety, etc.] that they might otherwise stay up all night wishing they had. In order to accomplish that task, it's very important that parents do their best to refrain from saying [or doing] anything that may alert the subject. Do not change your habits or ask too many questions. Behaving unusually increases the chances that an Investigator could be discovered. And, of course, please do not tell them unless you feel it's absolutely necessary. In some cases [such as stalking], this may not be such a bad idea. Be sure to consult with your P.I. if you're uncertain how to proceed once an investigation begins.
Q: I've seen the movies and the T.V. shows. I've read the comic books and the novels. How much of that can a Private Investigator actually do for me?
A: In the real world, there are laws against hacking into someone's emails/social networking accounts, accessing cel-phone records, tapping phones, breaking an entry, posing as a Police Officer, bribing someone for information and photographing someone while they're on/inside private property. Licensed Investigators could face fines, State-mandated license suspension/revocation, etc. for closing a case in any of these fashions [Plus, it's just not admissible in court]. Additionally, it's [just as] illegal to threaten anyone with physical violence or the use of deadly force unless a variety of instigating circumstances predate [and justify] the act. It is true that Licensed Investigators do benefit from certain legal amnesties that other citizens do not, but these amnesties do not extend to breaking the law or blatantly violating a person's basic American rights. In other words, "we kind of like Jack Reacher, but we definitely wouldn't want to be him".
Q: How can we be sure that our Detective is qualified to take our case? I mean, there's a lot of amateurs out there claiming to be the real deal. Right?
A: We didn't just binge-watch three seasons of C.S.I. Miami over the weekend and decide to walk outside with a snazzy fedora and a magnifying glass, if that's what you're asking. Besides [Penumbra's] formal [degree-holding] training in 24 separate forms of investigation, security training, photographic/surveillance training and years of in-the-field experience, all P.I.'s [in The State of Colorado] are now vetted by a C.B.I. background analysis and expected to pass The State Investigator's Jurisprudence Exam before being awarded the right to refer to themselves as a "Detective". This was not always the case in Colorado, but it is now. Consequently, you can be sure that Penumbra is not an amateur organization. Ask your investigator for a License Number to verify their active status as a Colorado-State Investigator. Once you have it, you can also check online for any fines, suspensions, warnings or revokations that they may have on their record. There won't be any, but you should check it out anyway. We're kind of proud of that.