Becoming a Private Investigator

Becoming a private investigator is surprisingly easy, in Queensland. If you want a good, experienced Townsville private investigator, though, including ex-Police, to investigate phone 07 47788970 for a free quote.

Becoming a good private investigator is far harder, to survive as an investigator, and earn a living is even harder still. To become an investigator you do a course (which is a short course), generally a certificate III.

You submit your details for a criminal history check (nothing recent I hope), then you pay the Government a fee for a licence, which gives you the right to TRY and earn a living. Working for yourself can be tough.

We have seen many come, and go. I could introduce you to an experienced investigator, locally, who earns more, for less stress with more fresh air and exercise, mowing lawns, or another who drives a truck from time to time, for spare money.

I have over 35 years investigative experience, a Police background including roles such as OIC CIB, and OIC station, investigating all types of unusual criminal incidents, and deaths. There are other investigators with similar backgrounds around.

Some have moved on to working as private investigators, private detectives, with varying levels of success. Some returned to Government employ.

Townsville itself has seen financial ups and downs, which have also affected the amount of money available for investigations. When times were good people could afford to investigate a cheating spouse, their child access issues, their criminal defence needs, their civil actions.

Even the number of Townsville WorkCover investigations, and Workers Compensation investigations, has fallen off, at times, as policies change. This impacts the viability of employment for private investigators, who are basically self employed, in a feast and famine industry, where people have to charge a reasonable rate to survive.

There is good money being made training private investigators, for some big companies, who keep coming up with new and innovate 'qualifications' for investigation, such as the 'Government investigator' course, and churning out 'qualified' people. When considering training look for value for money, look for a trainer who actually has worked in the industry, who knows what they are talking about.

They don't offer you the work, just the course. Once you have a licence watch out for the 'employers' who offer you 3 hours a day surveillance, and break off if nothing seen for 3 hours; earning 3 hrs a day, when these will be the prime 3 hrs for private investigator surveillance, isn't much.

Then add the time it took you to set up, get everything ready, read the instructions, and report back etc means you are paid for 3 hours but work 6, and didn't earn any other money for the day. You won't survive like that, unless you have a lot of files.

Townsville doesn't get a lot of files. Also watch out for those that won't pay you anything to travel to other places, for work.

Another issue is poor or none payers. I was just speaking to someone who has folded up, because of lack of work, and the inability of people who provided jobs, to pay. It is a common industry problem.

Some are slow payers, some big companies want to take 3 months to pay you. You will see times when all companies can be slow, but you have to keep onto them.

If the bill gets large, or old, or they stop talking to you, consider taking action to get your money, because there is an issue. Some companies try to say you're a partnership, your working together, however a partnership where one party has all the power, and is slow to pay the other is an abuse of power, not a partnership.

Some people start out cutting everyone else's throats with their offers, others go bust, then so do they, because they cut corners. You will find some less than honest operators, as well.

We have been here for many years because we don't try and be cut price; we try to provide a service, and stay within the law.

We won't always succeed in achieving the clients objectives; sometimes they cannot be achieved, or financial restrictions (a fact of life) get in the way; we aim to provide the best service possible, within the restrictions of budget, the law, and activity observed.

You will learn that some clients are less than honest, some are unusual (try and filter them out). If you need a good, experienced, discreet, Townsville private investigator, contact us for a free quote.