Private Investigation Qualification

[Oasis]

I have little doubt that it will have been discussed, or at least brought up but I have been working abroad and probably missed it;
Does anybody have an informed view of what and when the proposed SIA qualification for Private Investigations will look like and how it will be assessed/monitored?

 

[rhea]

This was the thread when it was announced.....
http://www.closeprotectionworld.com/private-investigation-forum/81444-pis-need-licence.html
and this is now on the SIA website...
Regulation of Private Investigators

 

[Visioneer]

I can see a 'fudge' coming on:


activities exclusively for the purposes of market research;
activities exclusively concerned with a credit check;
professional activities of practising solicitors and Barristers;
professional activities of practising accountants;
professional activities of journalists and broadcasters, and activities exclusively relating to obtaining information for journalists and broadcasters;
activities exclusively relating to reference to registers which are open to the public; registers or records to which a person has a right of access; and published works;
activities carried out with the knowledge or consent of the subject of the investigation.

With a little poetic licence, there's a lot of wriggle room. I know quite a few 'PI's', that can't be arsed with SIA, contemplating 'retirement'. They'll just disappear under the radar, and become 'researchers / consultants'.

As anyone can call themselves a 'freelance journalist', and justify it by maintaining an intermittent blog on an obscure news site, how the hell can any 'authority' police the difference between the two ?

V

 

[andytinks]

I am just starting out as a PI, and I am finding it extremely difficult to generate any business even though i have sent out hundreds of letters and handed out business cards etc etc which means i would find it near impossible to pay any fees that the SIA charge for this licence !!!, although i do agree with the idea, as there are probably allot of bad / rogue PI's out there giving us all a bad name, i do feel that it just another money making scheme by the SIA or whoever... and it will force allot of low level or new PIs out of business before they have really got going.