Over the past seven years I have invested over five million dollars into raising the standard of professionalism in the Australian private investigation industry.
With one $145.00 badge (such as are being sold on some peculiar websites) everything that I have aimed for and many others like me, with similar investments in professional development could be destroyed by one misguided, misinformed, dangerous individual with a Private Investigator Badge.
A licensed private investigator has no powers to direct a person to do anything or elicit any information, obtain any information or attempt to obtain any information by misrepresentation, offer, threat, implied threat, inducement or reward. A licensed private investigator cannot and does not imply that s/he has any police power, government authorization or capability to coerce a person into cooperating with them on any matter.
If you as a licensed private investigator acting on behalf of a client ever pulled out a badge in an attempt to intimidate, impress or deceive a member of the public, an insured, a claimant, a court or a subject there would be swift and serious consequences for you personally from your client. Plus equally serious consequences for the organisation that trained you and issued your qualification in order for you to become licensed. That organisation should be shut down and fined on top of the serious risk to your employment, career and possible liberty.
You are not a police officer, you are not an interrogator, you do not carry weapons, handcuffs, stun guns, smoke bombs or look-at-me badges. If you mistakenly showed that badge in the wrong company, or to a person who has something to lose, you or some one you love associated with you, could be killed or seriously injured. Just consider where you live and how vulnerable you are?
Badges were once issue to PIs in NSW and Victoria. I have seen two of them, owned by professional PIs, fortunately the practice stopped for safety reasons twenty years ago and those two PIs agreed it was the right thing to do.
If you wish to carry a badge, join the Iranian Secret Police and realise your unlimited potential out of harms way. Just stay out of the Australian PI Industry you moron.
Michael Evans
Training & Assessment Manager
Risk and Investigations
Australian Security Academy Pty Ltd
http://www.australiansecurityacademy.com.au
Warren Mallard also has a view about PI badges. Please read it here.
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Thanks Mike for your words. I'd like to add that any private investigator or trainee private investigator who has or wants one of these badges is a real WANKER. And I am sure that when flashing his badge to anyone, people will also immediately know he's a wanker.
Michael Hessenthaler
Retired investigator
Owner - http://investigateway.com.au