Do Private Investigators Work With Other Investigators During a Surveillance?

Why Would More Than One Investigator Be Used on a Surveillance Investigation?

In the private investigation industry and more specifically the insurance investigation industry, surveillance is typically conducted by one investigator. If done right in most situations there is no need for more than one investigator to conduct a surveillance investigation. Of course, there are specific scenarios or areas that require more than one investigator at times and I will address that in a moment.

I have good friends who are police officers that were completely surprised to hear that only one investigator would conduct surveillance on a subject.  

Many police departments use more than one person for surveillance assignments and there is nothing wrong with that.  But with law enforcement, there are more resources behind their surveillance (money and manpower) and that can contribute to having more individuals used during a surveillance assignment.

 I am sure it isn’t the only reason but I personally believe that the more people involved in surveillance the more complicated it can become (generally speaking of course).  

I do know of one company that I personally worked for that used two investigators for every surveillance. The use of two investigators on all cases did little to help most surveillance cases and many times would be a hindrance or distraction when working a file.  I believe the owner did this so he could bill more. He justified it to his clients that it would be better for them, all the time.

Reasons That Private Investigators Might Use More Than One Investigator on a Surveillance

There is no view of the residence/location without compromising the surveillance efforts 

This might happen in some areas more than others but occasionally a surveillance assignment will be assigned to document the activities of someone who lives in a rural area.

The investigator might decide setting up a surveillance position with a view would compromise surveillance efforts and there might be two ways the subject could leave their home.  By adding a second investigator to the assignment each investigator could establish a surveillance position further away with both routes of departure covered.  

After the subject departs their residence one of the investigators follows, the second investigator can keep in touch with the investigator following the subject and eventually catch up and assist in the surveillance efforts while the subject is away from their home.

Should it be determined that the subject only leaves their home going one direction the second investigator might no longer be needed as time passes.

The Surveillance Area is Rural and There are Long Stretches of Road to Follow a Subject

Some rural surveillances require an investigator to follow a subject on long stretches of rural roads when departing their residence.  While an investigator might be able to get away with following the subject from their home a couple of times, there is a chance the subject will figure out they are being followed when the same vehicle is behind them every time they depart their residence.  

Of course, there are different tactics to take to hopefully avoid being discovered, and adding a second investigator is one of those tactics.  

A second investigator allows for the two investigators to switch positions behind the subject when driving.  This changes the view the subject being followed will have when looking in rearview mirrors.

The Subject is Suspicious They are Being Followed

On some surveillance assignments, investigators get burned (discovered) by the person they are conducting surveillance on.  This requires the investigator to break off the assignment and discontinue surveillance.

Many insurance clients want to resume surveillance efforts after some time has passed and they hope the individual being investigated has put their guard down.  During this time a second investigator may be added to the assignment so two investigators can switch positions behind the subject to avoid detection.   

The Investigator Needs to Videotape While Driving

Videotaping while driving has become a bit easier with all of the dash cameras that are available these days.  Dash cameras can’t videotape everything in every situation.

This is where a second investigator might come in handy.  Maybe a subject needs to be videotaped while riding a bicycle or a motorcycle but the best view is while being in front of the subject.  One investigator can drive the vehicle while the second investigator can videotape the subject.

I had to conduct surveillance one time on a bicyclist.  I asked another private investigator friend to assist me with the surveillance and all they had to do was drive safely (there were a lot of people riding bikes in the area).  Having the other investigator drive while I videotaped enabled me to secure some great footage of the individual that day.

Have a Second Investigator at a Known Location

Sometimes it is beneficial to have one investigator document when someone leaves their home and a second investigator already is on-site at a known location (a location where you know the subject is going to travel to).

Sometimes when a subject arrives at a location it can be difficult to find a surveillance position with a view of the subject or just to be able to clearly document a subject arriving and entering a location.
Doing this allows for the second investigator in some cases to be in a position to secure video documentation of the subject arriving at the location and entering in a more seamless manner.

These are just a few scenarios I have encountered that required two investigators for a surveillance assignment.  This by no means is an everyday thing and is not needed in all situations.

Conclusion on Whether Private Investigators Work With Other Investigators During a Surveillance

There have been countless times in my career where two-investigators were completely warranted and great results came from the surveillance.  I have worked with some wonderful surveillance investigators over the years and have maintained friendships with them as well.

Despite all the times I have worked with a second investigator, 99 percent of the time I work alone as a surveillance investigator.  And frankly, it is much cheaper for a client to start with one investigator who can get the same results as two (if the situation doesn’t call for two).