Posts

KinseyInvestigations.com Becoming a Private Investigator - A woman using a cell phone and laptop sits on steps in front of a building.

Becoming a Private Investigator in Los Angeles

If becoming a private investigator is something you’ve thought about, chances are you’re not the most typical job seeker, or perhaps even the most typical person. The intensity, long hours, and high stakes of a private detective’s job, especially those of a Los Angeles private detective, are enough to discourage a great many people from ever considering this profession. Part of the good news for anyone who has imagined becoming a California private investigator – our state’s process, while lengthy, is one of the most straight-forward in the nation. It begins with gaining a required number of hours of professional investigative experience, followed by sitting for the California Private Investigator Exam, and finally, applying and paying for the license from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS). While some innate qualities and talents do help, much of what makes an L.A. private investigator good at their job can be learned and picked up from experience. Determination is very important as well, so for those who are eligible (and dedicated enough to stay the course), becoming a private investigator is possible.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Process Service - A hand reaches for a doorbell button.

Process Service by Los Angeles County Investigators

Los Angeles process servers are not the only ones who can serve legal documents in southern California. California private investigators can also handle process service of court paperwork or other important documents that need to be legally served. At Kinsey Investigations, all our L.A. private investigators are also process servers, and process service of all kinds of documents is one of the many private investigations services we offer. While process service is often depicted in a negative light, in movies and on TV, anyone who’s ever waited weeks or months for court documents to be served in their high-stakes case can explain what a relief it is to hear that the parties named in their case have been served. While it is also legal for a lay person to carry out process service, as long as they’re not a party in the case, there are many solid reasons for choosing professional process service from a Los Angeles private detective agency. At Kinsey Investigations, our female private detectives have more than 20 years’ experience locating people or businesses named in legal proceedings and officially serving them with the required paperwork for our clients’ cases to move forward. Many of our five-star online reviews tell stories exactly like this.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Drone Investigations - A drone sits on a bed of gravel.

Can California Private Investigators Use Drones?

Can California Private Investigators Use Drones? While you might think it makes sense for a private detective to use a drone for surveillance or gathering evidence, the truth of the matter is more complicated. Many federal and state regulations apply to operating a drone, whether for work or recreation. And many cities and counties (Orange County and the city of Malibu, for instance) have their own unique municipal codes as well. The use of images, audio or video recorded by a drone is also subject to many regulations, and California private investigation firms must follow these like any private citizen. A Los Angeles private detective agency such as Kinsey Investigations cannot legally fly a drone over private property, or even within the vicinity of someone in public, for the purpose of recording someone’s personal or familial business. And any evidence an L.A. private investigator gathers by illegal means will not be admissible in court. However, drones can still be used by Los Angeles private investigation firms in some cases. Kinsey Investigations is meticulous about following federal, state, and local laws in all of our case work, including how to use drones legally and effectively as part of some private investigations services.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com How much does a private investigator cost? - A cell phone displays the words thank you.

How Much Does a Private Investigator Cost?

How much does a private investigator cost?
If you’re thinking about hiring a Los Angeles detective, chances are you’re dealing with a pretty serious situation. Online searches for terms such as “private investigator cost” or “how much is a private investigator” return a broad range of answers, most of them unhelpful, that may leave you feeling even more unsure than before. One of the reasons search engines are not very useful for determining private investigator costs is because private detective services encompass so many different types of cases. Missing persons in Los Angeles, infidelity investigations, corporate security investigations and more all require different techniques and technologies. Even two cases of the same kind may require vastly different amounts of resources, because every case that comes across a California private investigator’s desk is unique. If you want to find out how much a private investigator costs, you have to talk in terms specific to your individual case, and the best way to find out is to call a private investigator and explain what those are. At Kinsey Investigations, we offer free case evaluations, both for those calling in as well as anyone who would prefer to use our online form. We may not be able to give an exact quote, but after learning the specifics of your case, we’ll have a lot better idea what’s involved. Best of all, Kinsey Investigations is not only one of the Best Private Investigators in Los Angeles according to Expertise.com. We’re also known as the private investigations firm with a heart. Not all kinds of costs can be measured in dollars and cents, and when it comes to your time, your money, and your peace of mind, we understand you’d rather not overspend any of them.

Read more

/by
Kinsey Investigations Corporate Investigator - Business people sit around a conference table.

Corporate Security Investigations for All Types of Organizations in California

Corporate security investigations by Los Angeles private investigation firms are not only for corporations. These days, organizations of almost every kind and size can benefit from these private detective services. Looking deeply into the facilities, operations, worker training/safety, and security procedures (both physical and digital), a California private investigator can help business owners and management teams identify potential threats to their company’s safety, profitability, and reputation. Especially for any kind of organization with a physical campus open to employees, clients, or members of the public, a corporate security investigation may pay for itself many times over, if threats can be identified and fixed before anyone is endangered or injured. Especially in the state of California, allegations of misconduct, harassment or defamation can be just as detrimental to a business’s reputation as those of safety hazards or worker injury. From retail and food service to corporate offices, non-profits to higher education institutions, corporate security investigations in Los Angeles and Orange counties have become a must for responsible organizations.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Background Check Screenings - The shadow of a theatrical face mask is cast on a purple background.

Three Levels of Background Check Screenings

For all types of background check screenings, working with a private investigator offers many advantages over using an online or automated background check service. Especially in California, a state with some of the strictest privacy laws (not to mention some of the stiffest penalties for people injured through negligence or failure of adequate due diligence), the cost of working with an experienced Los Angeles private investigator may pay for itself many times over in protecting you or your organization from expensive litigation and potential penalties. Like most California private investigation services, background check investigations range from simple to complex, Basic pre-employment background check screenings may only require verification of the information a job applicant has provided including their identifying details and any history of criminal activity. More extensive and comprehensive background check investigations dive deeper, researching residential, employment, and financial histories, searching for everything from civil and criminal litigation, nationwide, for up to seven years prior. No matter what kind of background check screening services are required, Kinsey Investigations offers an appropriate level of service to find the answers you or your organization need to make the best choice for yourself, your family, or your company.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Activity Check Investigations - Two business women sit together with a laptop computer.

Kinsey Investigations for Activity Checks in L.A.

Activity check private investigations prove useful for many different kind of private detective services. Usually consisting of a relatively brief “check-in” on a person or situation, activity checks may involve surveillance, interviews, or location-tracking, among other investigation techniques. California private investigators use activity check investigations to find straightforward answers to questions for many different types of clients. Parents, for instance, may want to know who their children are spending time with, or how they are behaving at school or at home while the parents are away. Adult children or other relatives may need to know how well an aging family member is doing, whether living on their own or in a care facility. And business owners and management teams may request activity checks to confirm details about a job applicant or potential business partner, or for cases of suspected disability or workers compensation fraud. Activity checks are usually fast and affordable and may potentially save a client from needing more extensive private investigation services. Unfortunately, some activity checks confirm a client’s worst fears, becoming the precursor to Los Angeles infidelity investigations, child custody and child support cases, and fraud or other types of private investigations.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Los Angeles Detectives - Three women sit at a table with tablets and laptops.

Hire a Female Los Angeles Private Detective

Private detective work, and how successfully any L.A. private investigator goes about their job, depends heavily on several aspects of the individual’s personality. Intelligence, attention to detail, determination, and persistence are some of the most obvious qualities any California private investigator needs to succeed for their clients. However, much more goes into the most successful Los Angeles private detectives’ approach to their investigation services. Connecting clues, solving cases, and critically, managing clients also require discernment and emotional intelligence. Considering this, is it any wonder that some of the best Los Angeles investigators turn out to be female private detectives? In places like Hollywood and Beverly Hills, a female private investigator has the upper hand from the very beginning. Naturally putting people at east and arousing less suspicion than her male counterpart, a female detective can navigate the complexities of sensitive cases with innate compassion and discretion. Kinsey Investigations is a licensed California private investigations firm owned and operated by women. In this post, we explore some compelling reasons why hiring a female private investigator can be a decisive advantage and may turn out to be the right choice for your case.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Cell Phone Forensics - A cell phone is pictured standing against an amber background.

Cell Phone Forensics in Los Angeles County Investigations

Cell phone forensics becomes a part of many types of private investigations services. At Kinsey Investigations, we get all kinds of requests for digital forensics: from concerns about cyberbullying or parents wanting to know how their children are using their devices, to even higher-stakes investigations such as locating missing persons in Los Angeles and infidelity investigations. Sometimes, cell phone forensics can turn up the information that helps us solve these cases. California private investigators face some of the strictest state privacy laws in the U.S. An inexperienced L.A. private detective may not know how to work around these statutes legally, or may uncover evidence through cell phone forensic techniques that turns out to be inadmissible in court. At Kinsey Investigations, we have 20 years’ experience conducting cell phone forensics properly and without running afoul of California law. The evidence we find benefits our clients, whether they merely need to know for peace of mind or are depending on it for family law or other litigation. Because time is usually of the essence in any private investigation involving cell phone forensics, it pays to call Kinsey Investigations first and avoid losing the upper hand in your case.

Read more

/by
KinseyInvestigations.com Female Private Investigator Near Me - A woman sits at a laptop computer.

Asking Who’s the Best Private Investigator Near Me?

Type in “best private investigator near me” from any computer in Los Angeles, and you’ll find Kinsey Investigations at the top. Twice voted Best Private Investigators in Los Angeles by Expertise.com, we are a licensed and insured California private investigations firm with more than 20 years’ experience providing private detective services in places like Malibu and Beverly Hills, Culver City and Long Beach. We serve individual and corporate clients for everything from Los Angeles infidelity investigations to corporate security investigations. We also have an impressive record for locating missing persons in Los Angeles and Orange counties, with dozens of 5-star online reviews. Whether it’s something as simple as process service for legal documents or as involved as multiday stakeouts for surveillance operations, Kinsey Investigations’ team of female private investigators can handle the case. Once we take on a client, we never waste time. We get the job done and we get it done right, because we know anyone looking for the best private investigator nearby doesn’t just need a detective, they need the very best.

Read more

/by