California Private Investigator

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I need an investigation in California
I am in California, but need an investigation elsewhere

Home to Hollywood and celebrities of all kinds. The Golden State is not just beautiful weather and beautiful people, though. The most populous state in the country boasts the 12th-largest metro area in the world, Los Angeles, plus many other famous cities: San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Fresno, Oakland.

Logistics of investigations in California

Total population of California is nearly 34 million and growing every day. Criminals flock to urban centers and Los Angeles – the second-largest city in the United States after New York – is no exception. San Diego and other border regions face the influx of illegal immigrants and crime from Mexico. White collar crime can be found throughout the state: investigators may be hired by high-tech firms in Silicon Valley or entertainment companies in LA and San Francisco. Wealthy families from the wine country around Sonoma to the beautiful beach-side homes in Malibu can require all manner of detective work. Even tabloid magazines could hire a detective to check on certain celebrity facts and fictions.

Surveillance is a common project for a California private investigator. Using both common equipment like tape recorders, binoculars, and cameras, and high-tech gadgets like parabolic microphones, night-vision goggles, and wireless Internet PDAs, an investigator can do more today than ever before. In our litigious society, especially among the rich and famous, one must use caution to avoid being caught committing any illegal acts like invasion of privacy.

So many people live in California that domestic disputes are another common reason for hiring a private investigator. Marriage infidelity (the prelude to divorce) and child custody (the aftermath of divorce) top the list of reasons for a personal investigation. Researching assets for either litigation and inheritance is also a popular job for CA PI's. Private detective work can also include locating missing persons.

Criminal activity in California

Sadly, California is well-known for fraud, embezzlement, theft, and other crimes, both petty and audacious. The increase in Internet companies and traffic means a boom in business for criminals and the investigators who track them down. You may also know of the surge in “bounty hunter” work featured on TV. Private investigators can make a career out of serving papers and tracking fugitives.
Private investigation work has often been associated with California thanks to the movie and television industries. The life of a PI is not all glamorous, though. Plenty of hard work goes into the profession. Requirements to earn your license include background checks by both the California Department of Justice and the FBI, three years of investigation work (or equivalent education for some of this time), and a two-hour written test. Separate licensing requirements must be met for you to carry a firearm on the job.

What to do next

Do you need a free consultation with one of our on call private investigators? Call ICS now at toll free (800) 828-9198 to determine if your situation is right for our help or contact us online. We will develop a plan with you to learn the facts you need. Don’t be left in the dark. ICS professionals know where to look to find answers for you – from Death Valley to Chinatown, wherever your case leads.

California private Investigator Licensing

California State requires licensing for Private Investigators, Security Guards and Agencies. 

State Licensing Authority: Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
Website: http://www.dca.ca.gov/bsis/pi.htm
Email: bsis@dca.ca.gov
Phone:(916)322-4000

Licensed investigators in California have reciprocity and can conduct investigations in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Oregon.

It is important to note that California serves through strategic alliances.

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Click on one of the following to start your free consultation:
I need an investigation in California
I am in California, but need an investigation elsewhere

Private investigation cases which can be covered in this Area:
Accident Reconstruction	Maritime or Boating Investigations
Activity Checks	Medical and Dental Malpractice
Adopted Child Locate Investigation	Mergers and Acquisitions Investigation
Adultery or Infidelity Investigations (Marital)	Mind Control or Brainwashing Investigations
Arson or Fire Loss Investigation	Missing Persons
Background Checks (Online Dating)	Mobile Phone and PDA Seizures
Background Investigation	Money Laundering Investigations
Background Investigation (Pre-Marital or Pre-nuptial)	Mystery and Secret Shopper
Birth Parent Locate Investigation	Online Auction Fraud
Blacklisting and Blackballing Investigations	Organized Crime Control or RICO
Bomb Threats and Detection	Origin and Cause Investigation
Cheating Decoy Investigations	Other (Please Describe)
Child Abuse or Molestation	Paternity Investigations and Testing
Child Custody and Visitation Investigations	Personal Injury
Child Exploitation and Obscenity (Pornography)	Personal Protection
Child Support Enforcement and Collection	Polygraph and Lie Detection (General)
Child Support Modification	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Domestic Purposes
Cohabitation Investigation	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Employee Purposes
Cold Case Investigations	Polygraph and Lie Detection for Pre Employment Screening
Competitive Business Intelligence	Pre-Employment Screening
Computer Forensics Investigation	Probate Investigation
Counter-Surveillance	Process Service (Worldwide)
Covert Surveillance (Tailing)	Professional Malpractice Investigations
Criminal Background Checks and Search	Public Interest Investigations
Criminal Investigation (All Types)	Real Estate Fraud Investigations
Dependency Investigations	Religion or Faith Based Investigation
Discrimination Claims Investigations	Runaway and Missing Children
Divorce Investigation	Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Securities Investigations
Document Examination and Assessment	Sects Occult or Cults Investigations
Domestic Investigations (All Types)	Security Consulting (CPP & PPS Certified)
Drug Testing	Sexual Harassment Claims
Due Diligence Investigation (General)	Slander and Defamation of Character Investigations
Eavesdropping Detection (Bugs and Taps)	Spousal Maintenance or Alimony Modification
Elder Abuse Investigations	Stalking and Harassment Investigations
Electronic Discovery Services	Sting Operations
Email Tracking and SMS Tracing	Stock Options Fraud
Embezzlement Investigation	Substance Abuse Investigation
Employee Malingering Investigation	Surface or Forensic Drug Detection
Employee Theft Investigation	Surveillance (Beacon or GPS tracking)
Employement Misconduct Investigation	Technical Surveillance Countermeasures
Expert Witness Testimony	Tenant Screening
Financial Fraud Investigations (CFE & CFS)	Traffic and Vehicle Accident Reconstruction
Hidden Assets Investigation	Undercover and Covert Investigations
Hidden Assets Search (Lost or Forgotten)	Unfaithful or Cheating Mate (Non-Marital)
Homicide and Murder Investigation	Unsolved Crime Investigations
Identity Theft	Vendor Screening Investigations
Insurance Fraud Investigations (Active Case)	White Collar Crime
Intellectual Property and Copyright Infringement	Wire and Electronic Communications Crime
Juror Vetting (Jury Selection)	Witness Locates and Interviewing
Kidnapping and Ransom Situation	Workers' Compensation Fraud (AOE/COE)
Labor Dispute Monitoring	Workplace (ADA, EEOC, or FMLA Sensitive)
Land Ownership and Title Investigation	Workplace Investigation Interview
Litigation & Legal Support (Active Case)	Workplace Violence Investigation
Loss and Theft Investigations	Wrongful Death Investigations
Malpractice Investigation	Wrongful Imprisonment