53 Best Surveillance Tips For Private Investigators

Advice From A PI: 53 Surveillance Tips and Techniques

Introduction: Surveillance is the bread and butter of private investigations. Whether tailing a cheating spouse or staking out an insurance fraud case, nothing beats video evidence using technical surveillance when building a solid case. However, conducting effective surveillance takes skill and diligence to capture key details while avoiding detection. The surveillance job can be extremely challenging. This article will discuss the different types of surveillance, preparation, and techniques from a licensed private investigator with more than two decades of experience in the field.

Surveillance is an essential investigative technique for private investigators and private detectives to discreetly gather information and evidence on subjects under investigation. This extensive guide covers 53 tips and best practices for planning and executing effective physical surveillance operations and basic surveillance techniques.

Surveillance is a useful investigative tool when carried out legally and ethically. Licensed private investigators are trained professionals who conduct surveillance only when hired for legitimate purposes, such as gathering evidence in civil or criminal cases. They follow codes of ethics and operate within the law. Surveillance helps licensed investigators uncover facts, locate missing persons, uncover infidelity, gather evidence of insurance fraud, investigate child custody with parental checks, and more. However, unlicensed individuals performing surveillance may be breaking stalking, privacy, or other laws. Surveillance by non-professionals risks harming innocent people. For these reasons, surveillance should only be conducted by properly licensed private investigators who have undergone background checks and are retained for lawful, ethical investigations. All private citizens should respect others' privacy, avoid legal trouble, and refrain from illegal surveillance activities. The following private investigator surveillance techniques are intended for the professional investigator. This article is not legal advice. Readers should seek professional legal counsel for any legal questions or decisions.

Comprehensive Pre-Surveillance Preparation:

1. Conduct thorough background checks on the surveillance subject by accessing public records, commercial databases, social media profiles, and other sources to understand their habits, routines, known associates, family members, frequented locations, employment history, criminal record, and more. Gather as much information as possible. A social media investigation is a valuable tool to help you learn top tips about the subject's activities. The basic information obtained in the pre-surveillance can prove extremely beneficial and valuable information later on in the investigation.

2. A professional private investigator will study aerial and street views of all planned surveillance areas and locations using Google Maps or Bing Maps Birds'-eye view to identify nearby vantage points, blind spots, entry/exit points, and optimal camera angles. Get an idea of the target environment before you arrive on-site for surveillance work. Locate the potential closest location for parking that is hopefully in sight of the subject residence but kept at a safe distance. Get the best feel of the neighborhood using online tools. A common mistake of new private investigators is parking too close to the subject residence and driving past the subject residence multiple times in order to obtain the best parking spot. The subject of the investigation will easily be able to notice this behavior and you could get caught. Remember with covert surveillance cases, discreet investigative services are key.

3. Drive the subject's known routes and familiarize yourself with their environments before conducting field surveillance. Walk the area and note potential physical obstructions. Locate any public parking nearby like an office building if possible to park at so your vehicle will not be noticeable. The best way to achieve successful results in the art of surveillance is to prepare and obtain vital information before surveillance even starts.

4. Prepare and test all electronic surveillance devices including cameras, microphones, batteries, smart phones, gps trackers, and backups to ensure proper functioning. All electronic devices need to be charged and looked after.

5. Prepare the surveillance vehicle with a fresh wash, and clean windows for professional video, and always start with a full tank of gas.

6. Verify accurate date and time stamps on the video camera, video equipment, recording devices, and other electronic gear used to document surveillance operations. Bring a voice recorder to easily dictate the details of the case.

7. Assemble and carry proper private investigator identification, business cards, and required license in case you are questioned by police officers or law enforcement during a stakeout.

8. Recruit an experienced, coordinated surveillance team with defined roles like foot surveillance, mobile pursuit, overwatch, public interaction etc. suited to the subject and operational needs.

9. Develop contingency plans and protocols for scenarios like losing the target in crowded areas, the subject entering private property, or significantly altering expected movements.

10. Consult legal counsel to understand relevant laws and restrictions regarding privacy, recording, trespassing, consent requirements, and right-to-privacy in the operational jurisdiction.

Blending into the Surveillance Setting:

11. Select casual light clothing that appropriately fits the climate and is not loud. Avoid distinctive styles that can attract unwanted attention and draw eyes during physical surveillance.

12. Ditch exotic vehicles and opt for commonplace models with tinted windows that don’t stand out during mobile surveillance. Avoid customizations like custom wheels, stickers, and unusual paint colors.

13. Park at a distance from the location and use structures or fences to obscure the surveillance vehicle from casual view. Your parking spot plays the largest role in achieving a successful surveillance. The parking location needs to be pre-planned and upon arrival at the location, decided decisively. Once you pick a spot, it is recommended to stay in that location. New private investigators often change locations to obtain a better view of the subject and jeopardize the presence of the investigator to neighbors and the subject of an investigation.

14. Vary parking spots on successive days, alter routes, and mix up vehicles when following targets for multiple days.

15. Discreetly change physical observation posts periodically to avoid detection for the on-foot type of surveillance. Loitering in one obvious area for long periods can burn investigations.

16. Project an aura consistent with the environment when in public. Avoid actions that appear out of place and could draw scrutiny from the target or bystanders.

17. Blend into crowds and be just another face in the location. Keep phone use and anxious behaviors to a minimum.

Meticulous Observation and Evidence Documentation:

18. Maintain expanded peripheral vision and keep an unrelenting focus on the target for relevant information, documenting their movements, interactions, and activities in detail.

19. Discreetly take long range identification videos of the subject, associates, vehicles, locations, and license plates that may provide useful information or inconsistencies for further investigation. A zoomed-in close-up video shot of the subject's face for proper identification is extremely important.

20. Record video of significant interactions, exchanges, or actions if warranted while avoiding detection. Remain strategically concealed.

21. Write thorough written surveillance logs or voice memos with dates, times, individuals involved, statements made, activities witnessed, and other relevant details related to the subject and investigation.

22. Supplement reports with GPS tracking data from covert devices monitoring target vehicles if applicable.

23. Ensure accurate and synchronized date/time stamps on all collected media, notes, documents, and reports. Precise chronological consistency lends credibility.

Surveillance Team Coordination and Communication:

24. For prolonged 24/7 surveillance of savvy targets, establish rotating pursuit teams in multiple vehicles to avoid being identified or “burned” after following for an extended duration.

25. Designate specialized roles for team members based on individual skills - close mobile pursuit, remote overwatch, foot surveillance, public interaction duties, supplemental research, etc.

26. Maintain clear secure communication channels and protocols between all participating surveillance members whether on foot or in vehicles. Use hands-free phones to communicate with other private investigators assisting on the case.

27. Preplan operational movements and positions between vehicles and personnel to maximize coverage of expected routes and ensure smooth, seamless handoffs of trailing duties.

28. Hold regular operational debriefs during long term investigations to exchange intel, adjust plans as circumstances evolve, and replace fatigued staff as required.

Adapting to Changing Surveillance Circumstances:

29. Prepare alternate physical positions, undercover vehicles, equipment caches, and multiple covert access/exit points in case fixed or mobile surveillance is burned or compromised by the target.

30. Pre-plan multiple hats, clothing changes, or cover stories as needed to deflect neighbor attention and continue gathering intelligence discreetly.

31. Develop and execute strategies to rediscover lost targets, pick up trails from known associates or social media activity, and leverage tracking devices (if applicable) if visual surveillance is fully compromised.

32. Remain supremely flexible and adaptable to adjust staffing, operational pace, and positional strategies based on the target's observed patterns, movements, and counter-surveillance tactics.

Exploiting Surveillance Technology:

33. Leverage long range zoom lenses from concealed static positions for discreet observation video of nearby public activities without drawing close attention.

34. Use dash cams, hidden cameras, and other concealed cameras to capture video from optimal angles during mobile pursuit or close foot surveillance.

35. Exploit infrared and lowlight cameras that see in darkness to facilitate nighttime surveillance evidence collection when regular cameras are ineffective.

36. Alternate between headlights on and later off when following a subject.

37. Use other vehicles in traffic as a “buffer car” in between you and the subject vehicle if possible in order to not draw attention to your vehicle.

38. Give enough distance between your vehicle and the subject vehicle so the subject is not as likely to notice. Assess regularly if you are traveling too close or too far away.

Upholding Legal and Ethical Surveillance Standards:

39. Fully understand expectations of privacy, trespassing laws, and consent requirements for recording video/audio applicable to the states/jurisdictions you operate in.

40. Never record audio or video in private spaces where the target has a reasonable expectation of privacy - dressing rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.

41. Avoid safety risks while following your subject. Do not initiate dangerous high-speed chases or stalking/harassment behavior that could endanger the public.

42. Documentation remains fair, impartial, and consistent. Avoid embellishment, exaggeration or personal assumptions beyond the facts observed and evidence gathered.

43. Never engage in entrapment-type scenarios or bait tactics that could create legal troubles.

44. Uphold the highest ethical standards. The end goal does not justify unethical means. Maintain professionalism and integrity at all times. The safety of you, your subject, and the public is the number one priority.

45. Never chase a subject and never break traffic laws in order to keep up with a subject.

Concluding Successful Surveillance Operations:

46. Have established systems to methodically organize the large volume of records, notes, video, data, etc. collected during the course of long-term surveillance investigations.

47. Transcribe observations from written notes, identify and label video evidence exhibits, and compile summary surveillance reports for clients.

48. Return any borrowed gear to external teams or specialists. Replenish expendables and fully clean, recharge, and prep equipment used on operations for the next case.

49. Debrief operational teams, key internal stakeholders, and clients to discuss outcomes, successes and shortfalls, lessons learned, and strategies to strengthen future surveillance missions.

Choosing the Right Surveillance Private Investigators:

50. Conducting lengthy, undetected surveillance while assembling ironclad documentation requires skills developed from years of experience shadowing hundreds/thousands of previous subjects.

51. Partner only with reputable licensed and insured private investigation agencies or surveillance specialists for sensitive or high-risk assignments rather than lone wolf freelancers.

52. Ask tough questions about methodologies, privacy laws, communications/tracking capabilities, contingency planning, documentation rigor, and reporting standards.

53. Thoroughly vet references, experience levels, PI licenses, insurance coverage, training, and investigative specialties. Choose optimal teams tailored to case types.

By fastidiously implementing these exhaustive tips, private investigators can remain undetected while discreetly gathering the critical intelligence and evidence needed for clients. Surveillance mastery requires adaptability, meticulous care, quick thinking, inexhaustible patience, and sound judgment. Uphold legal and ethical principles at all times. For expert assistance on sensitive cases, contact an established private investigator firm to discuss your needs in strict confidence. Salt Lake Investigations has the seasoned surveillance experience that makes the difference in gathering evidence in an insurance claim, marital infidelity, child custody investigation, criminal investigation, and rural settings.