Abbreviation for surveillance-investigator = SI Please note that this article focuses on choosing high-level surveillance-investigators for high-stakes cases. This article is for consumers of physical surveillance for high-stakes cases who genuinely want qualified surveillance-investigators to work on their case; not random unqualifed private investigators who are not full-time vetted surveillance-investigators. According to the Cambridge dictionary, one definition of high-stakes is, “Involving serious risks if there is no success.” Most private sector physical surveillances conducted in the USA relate to insurance claims, which are not considered high-stakes assignments. A physical surveillance assignment to surveil a person of concern who has threatened violence at a workplace or school is considered high-stakes, and should only be conducted by qualified high-level performing surveillance-investigators (SIs). A large number of physical surveillances are conducted by private investigators with little to no expertise in conducting private sector physical surveillance. Many referrals to PI companies are not based on merit or qualification. It is remarkable the deception by many private investigation companies who take on physical surveillance assignments, use unqualfied surveillance-investigators, and bill thousand of dollars for not surprising bad findings. Physical surveillance is the most difficult investigative discipline to perform and the most misunderstood by many private investigators, security professionals, attorneys and threat management teams, hence the large number of surveillances that are not successful; a predictable result when ineffective (unqualified) private investigators are used to conduct physical surveillance, especially for a high-stakes physical surveillance assignments. Getting burned or not being able to maintain visual contact with the person being surveilled are both failures, and in a high-stakes assignment, serious unfavorable consequences may occur. Just as one would not use a primary physician to perform heart surgery, nor a family law attorney to defend an SEC lawsuit, one should not use a private investigative company for a high-stakes surveillance assignment if that company does not specialize in high-level physical surveillance and properly vetted. Physical surveillance is a necessary tool for most investigative tool boxes. Government agencies from local law enforcement to the FBI to the CIA have full-time dedicated specialized units that are well funded with sophisticated equipment, court approved GPS trackers, aircraft and numerous personnel to conduct high-stakes physical surveillance and gather valuable information and evidence. According to a ChatGPT inquiry, government physical surveillances cost around $ 26,700 per day and up. The needed resources used by government to conduct physical surveillance on one person well illustrates the difficulty of conducting physical surveillance effectively. In private sector physical surveillance, the numerous and deep resources used by government are not available, so the success of physical surveillance is based almost entirely on an SI’s skill-sets and innate talents, hence the import of choosing a qualified SI. Additionally, just because a person has conducted surveillance as a government employee, it should not be assumed the person has what it takes to be effective in the demanding private sector. Most high-level SIs in Southern California do no have backgrounds as government employees. Finding high-level SIs is not easy for those not steeped in the physical surveillance industry. The purpose of this page is to provide decision makers with an insider overview of the industry and make recommendations on how to choose high-level SIs for high-stakes assignments so that one does not waste monies - that can run in the thousands of dollars - and miss out on needed information and evidence. There are two key industry measuring sticks used by some private sector physical surveillance professionals for assessment and case management purposes. Surveillance-Investigator (SI) rating. Much like an athlete in sports, an SI's skills, innate talent and effectiveness are wide ranging. Some specialty physical surveillance investigation companies use the following to identify an SI’s level of performance: Tier-1 level is an SI who is exceptional in performance, has a record of making good split-second decisions in stressful situations, possesses that mystical 6th sense for determining when too close to subject and when too far from subject, and has a minimum of five years experience as a full-time SI with significant experience on high-stakes assignments. A Tier-1 SI will appropriately demand the highest hourly rate. Most of these SIs have annual earnings in the six figures in Southern California. The information and evidence that would otherwise not be obtained makes their cost well worth the pay rate. And Tier-1 type SIs will likely avoid the many problems others might create. Tier-2 and Tier-3 are capable but may lack certain traits needed for that Tier-1 performance. The fourth rating is referred to as the Unknown and are private investigators who claim to do physical surveillance but do not have a known history. We recommend avoiding the Unknown unless the assignment is low risk and the outcome of the physical surveillance is not that important. Ratings for the subject being surveilled. The Awareness Rating Scale (ARS) is a subjective measure of the subject being surveilled and how alert that subject is to her/his surroundings. The rating ARS-1 through ARS-5, 5 being the most aware. An ARS-1 on the scale represents a person who is likely not very aware of their surroundings, hence the lowest risk for detecting a tail. For example, the cartoon character with bad eyesight Magoo would be an ARS-1. ARS-5 is at the top of the rating and represents a very aware subject who is a high risk of detecting surveillance. An ARS-5+ is a subject who actively checks for a physical surveillance, thus requiring extreme measures by the SIs to not be detected. Only Tier-1 level SI's should be used on subjects that are ARS-4 and ARS-5 and up. CHECKLIST FOR EVALUATING A PROSPECTIVE “HIGH-LEVEL" PHYSICAL SURVEILLANCE COMPANY ◻︎ Do not use a private investigation company that does not specialize in high-level physical surveillance or ensure that the private investigation company outsources the physical surveillance-investigation to a qualifed physical surveillance sub-contractor. ◻︎ Check with a minimum of three credible references that have used the considered high-level surveillance-investigative company for surveillance on the matter or which you will be using them. For example, if it is a threat case, check with three references that have used the considered company for only that specific service. ◻︎ If possible, determine the hourly rate pay for the surveillance-investigators in the field conducting the physical surveillance. In Southern California, a licensed private investigator with a long history of success conducting high-stakes surveillance in the private sector should be paid from $ 65 to $ 95 per hour as a sub-contractor, the remainder of the hourly rate should go to covering overhead such as insurance premiums, business expenses, equipment, profit etc. Many private investigation companies use unqualified surveillance-investigators at very low rates in order to improve the profit margins at expense of not accomplishing the case objectives. ◻︎ The private investigation company's core business should be high-level physical surveillance. ◻︎ The surveillance-investigators should be conducting physical surveillance as a full-time job. ◻︎ Obtain a copy of the California Private Investigation license and confirm license active online with Bureau of Security & Investigative Services. ◻︎ Check online with California Secretary of State to see if the considered investigation company is a corporation or LLC in good standing. ◻︎ Obtain a copy of the Certificate of Insurance for Errors & Omissions and request to be added as an additional insured for the assignment. ◻︎ Ask for a redacted copy of a sample surveillance report and a redacted invoice. Then meet with the person who will be managing the assignment and go over the sample report and redacted invoice. And confirm the person managing the assignment has conducted private sector high-level physical surveillances on high-stakes cases and has a solid history of managing high-level physical surveillance teams. ◻︎ What field level technologies and equipment are used to support the surveillance-investigators. A solid licensed two-way radio system shared by all surveillance-investigators is just one mandatory tool. We always welcome critiques and advice from colleagues who are accomplished physical surveillance-investigators in Southern California.