PInow.com Investigation News

Questions Over Privacy Once Again

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:04:10 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - Barack Obama initially said that he would protect civil liberties, which is why many were disappointed when he voted for the FISA Amendments Act of 2008. That act increased the surveillance power of the government and ensured that larger telecom companies would not be held liable for wiretapping conducted during the George W. Bush administration. Last week, Congress voted to once again authorize some of the provisions of the USA Patriot Act. The vote reauthorizes the provisions without adding the recommended safeguards for personal privacy. Opponents note that the vote allows the government to access detailed information about customers from telecommunications companies, essentially offering additional surveillance powers to government agencies.

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Scientific Discovery May Have Implications for PIs

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:30:11 +0000

PARIS, FRANCE – In movies, PIs often do surveillance work by peeking through holes in newspapers. A new French discovery, however, may eventually change the way real-life PIs do surveillance. A new discovery has allowed researchers a way to possibly see through opaque objects. Researchers have analyzed the way light passes through a zinc oxide layer and believe the data may help them eventually create a light beam that can pass through solid objects and emerge on the other side.

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Chicago Pushing for Surveillance Updates

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:21:09 +0000

CHICAGO, IL – The Chicago Police department has announced plans to possibly update its network of police cameras. The department hopes to acquire cameras which have a wider range, better picture quality and which are more inconspicuous. Currently, cameras have blinking blue lights, which alert criminals when they are under surveillance and diminish the effectiveness of the camera network at capturing illegal activity. The current cameras have been in place since 2003. Representatives for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois have expressed concerns about a possible expanding network of covert surveillance cameras.

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New A&E PI Series

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:46:40 +0000

NEW YORK, NY – Sick of Dog the Bounty Hunter? A&E has a new series, “Runaway Squad,” of interest to PIs and security professionals. The reality show follows PIs led by ex- NYPD detective Joe Mazzilli. Throughout the show, the group tracks runaways and reunites them with their families, all at no charge. Creators of the show note that the program will be thrilling but will also be a real resource and assistance to families in distress. The show begins on April 5 and will run weekly, beginning in the 10 PM ET/PT time slot.

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New Senate Bills, Breaking News in DC & Second Amendment Update

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:18:10 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - Represenative Charles B. Rangel has asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a leave of absence from his position as chairman of powerful Committee on Ways and Means due to recent findings of the House Ethics Committee. Congressman Rangel, a twenty-term member of Congress, has long been regarded as one of its most powerful members. This committee has often had jurisdiction over issues of concern to investigative professionals and over the years the ISPLA’s director of government relations has submitted testimony in opposition to SSN ban legislation before it.

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Bootleg Cases in North Carolina

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:05:18 +0000

WILMINGTON, NC – The office of North Carolina’s State Secretary Elaine Marshall has been reassuring residents of that state that North Carolina has tough policies in place to crack down on piracy and bootlegging. The comments came after criticism that the state allows illegal and pirated clothes, DVDs and other items to be sold openly. Marshall noted that the state currently has only two investigators dedicated to investigating and stopping piracy.

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Chief of Police Facing Ethical Charges

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:55:22 +0000

ST. GABRIEL, LA – Conflict of interest charges have been laid against Police Chief Kevin Ambeau in St. Gabriel by the Louisiana Board of Ethics. The charges stem from the fact that Ambeau ran a private security firm while also working as a police chief, something the Board of Ethics notes may violate Louisiana laws. The Board made its charges after hiring PIs to investigate allegations made about Ambeau.

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PI Lied on Permit

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:40:07 +0000

SYRACUSE, NY – PI Noah Felice has admitted to making misleading and false claims about his criminal record two years ago when applying for a pistol permit amendment. Felice has pleaded to a second-degree charge of offering a false instrument. Felice claimed on the amendment that he had no criminal record when in fact he has several arrests and convictions. He has been sentenced to one-year conditional discharge and has had his permit revoked. The status of Felice’s PI license is in question now that he has been convicted, but it is not immediately known whether he will be allowed to retain his PI license.

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California Sees Wave of Unlicensed PIs

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:08:53 +0000

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – California has laws requiring PIs to be licensed and to have at least three years of training. However, undercover investigations have revealed a trend in California: unlicensed PIs. A number of PIs in the state are posing as PIs despite not having the correct training or licensing. The California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services has been conducting investigations into allegations of illegal PIs.

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New PI Certificate Program in Texas

PInow.com Staff — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:08:26 +0000

DENTON, TX – The University of North Texas’s Professional Development Institute has a new Private Investigator Certificate Program. This is the first such program in the state, allowing Texas residents to qualify for the state PI licensing exam. This will make the licensing process easier, since prior to this program, candidates had to study for three years through on-the-job training or a criminal justice degree. In January, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Private Security Board agreed to recognize the UNT program as an adequate requirement for the licensing exam. The program will begin as early as March 19.

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