Private investigators can act as an alternative or a supplement to police. Going missing is not a crime in Texas, so police cannot make every missing person a priority. Private investigators aren’t cheap, but some may be willing to offer their services pro bono. They may want you to advertise their company (through Facebook, Twitter, a logo on your website etc.) in return for their assistance.
Any important information uncovered by a private investigator should be shared with police.
Every year, more than 800,000 people are reported missing and entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Eighty-five to ninety percent of these are minors. These figures exclude those who are unofficially missing, such as someone who has not been reported missing.
One of the major issues with police-led missing persons investigations is that the definition of “missing persons” is so narrow. Police will only start looking for a missing child after a certain amount of time has passed since the child was last seen, and by then, it may be too late if the child has been kidnapped by a pedophile or child killer. Due to limited resources, police are also hesitant to search for people who have voluntarily left their homes or those who live on the streets. In a police-led missing person pursuit, after a certain amount of time, police will stop looking and declare the case a cold case.
Police officers do their utmost with the resources they possess, but law enforcement is simply unprepared to deal with today’s crime rates. Anyone who needs real answers quickly should consult with a private investigator. A professional investigator will begin to look for someone as soon as you feel uncomfortable and will continue to look as long as you are seeking answers.
What steps does a missing persons investigator take to find a missing person?
Professional investigators employ a variety of methods to locate missing people, including:
Fugitive recovery. These detectives are experts at tracking down fleeing criminals and debtors. They are not bound by the same laws as police and can therefore enter virtually any location where they assume a criminal is hiding.
Physical searches are conducted by air, land, and sea. Private investigators search areas that the average person does not have access to using a variety of vehicles.
Making connections with other private detectives or paying informants Private investigators frequently have extensive connections to people they can call on to assist them in their investigations.
Surveillance and videotaping are used. Investigators can discover and track a suspect in a missing persons case or places where a missing person is likely to be.
Investigating hospitals and morgues. Private investigators can search a variety of facilities for a victim.
Conducting background checks, beginning to question witnesses, and employing other investigative techniques Private investigators can enlist the help of others to narrow down potential suspects or sources of assistance in the search for a missing person.
When trying to find someone, sites such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and others are good places to start. While you can use the Internet to search for public records, investigators have access to research methods and contacts that the general public does not. Furthermore, investigators use their decades work expertise to search in real time rather than relying on dated and potentially inaccurate information. It’s also worth noting that nothing beats good old-fashioned interrogation methods and hitting the streets. Private investigators typically work autonomously and are able to respond quickly on leads, making decisions that are often required for an individual case that are beyond the abilities of law enforcement. These decisions include following a suspect without a warrant, questioning witnesses, and interviewing suspects.