Private Investigative Tips and Tales by Robert Jakucs

UNDERCOVER WORK AND DISGUISES

2012-02-22T20:01:00.013-08:00

How do you make yourself blend in to your surroundings? How do you dress if you’re doing foot surveillance or you’re undercover in a specific location and you don’t want to be ‘made’? Most cops who start out in undercover work immediately grow a beard and long hair. It’s almost a dead giveaway, like an undercover uniform. When you see a neatly scrubbed guy with a trimmed beard, long hair, baseball cap, Pendleton shirt and jeans with clean hands and often times a wedding ring in a high crime area, it’s usually a cop.

I got to be good at disguises when I worked Hollywood Vice and other undercover assignments with the LAPD Metropolitan Division. When I started out in plainclothes undercover work I thought, “Where would be the best place to look at lots of people and figure out who didn’t look like a cop?” Answer: The local mall. I would go down there and just sit for an hour or so and watch all the people walk by. I’d take notes on individuals regarding how they dressed, walked and what things they carried. Pretty soon I came up with a number of disguises that I tested in the field. The hardest people to fool in those days were the street walkers in Hollywood, so if I could fool them, I could fool anybody. Here’s a list of just some that I used:

1. Car accident victim-I wore a whiplash neck brace. For added effect, I would put a plaster cast (taped) on my non-shooting hand. If I had someone in the car, I would act like I had difficulty turning my head.

2 .Crutches-I’d practice walking with crutches so I had the gait down. I’d also use a taped on plaster foot cast for added effect.

3. Emergency room scrubs-I put on a pair of scrubs with a stethoscope in my pocket as I drove or walked around.

4. Baseball Uniform-During baseball season I’d put on a baseball uniform and have a bag of bats, balls and a glove or two in the car.

5. Workout clothes-Shorts, sweatshirt or T shirt, towel around the neck and gym bag with a racquetball paddle sticking out. I’d also have a dirty towel along with wet socks and T shirt in the bag.

6. During an interior bank stakeout, I was dressed in a dark suit and tie sitting at a desk in the bank. I had a shotgun between my legs along with a handgun in the wastebasket next to me. I also had another gun on my hip.

7. Passed out drunk-On one occasion I had to be the guarding officer for an undercover female officer on a ‘Trick’ task force. I wore an old watch cap, my old Marine Corps horse blanket overcoat, rubbed in axle grease around my face and hands, rubbed on some cheap wine for aftershave, and for the piece de resistance, mixed wine and oatmeal in a bag and poured it on the ground when I ‘passed out’ just a few feet away from the undercover female on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. Pedestrians literally stepped over me like I was part of the scenery.

8. Homeless-Working undercover with my partner in the Skid Row area of Los Angeles, I dressed in an old Navy pea coat, watch cap, unshaven beard, dirty jeans, and carried a sleeping bag tied by some rope over my shoulder. We followed two car burglars for over three hours before they broke into a car and we arrested.

9. Santa Claus outfit-I arrested 4 different prostitutes who propositioned me on Christmas Eve driving around in a Santa Claus outfit. I even put a pillow under my costume to have the fat man look.

Here’s the bottom line regarding disguises; the sky's the limit. Use your imagination and have some fun in the process.

INVESTIGATING CELEBRITY DEATHS

2012-02-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

With the recent death of singer Whitney Houston in Beverly Hills, there has been a rash of media reports regarding the police investigation into the death. Despite the sensational news headlines, celebrity deaths are for the most part, investigated the same way as any other death.

Once the police are notified of a death, the first officers at the scene will initially maintain the location as a possible crime scene. If paramedics arrived first, they will be interviewed as to what they observed and what they did while in the location. Oftentimes they can give a good initial indication as to the possible cause of death. The police will attempt to find out if the decedent had been under the care of a physician for any illnesses or conditions. They will also attempt to identify any possible witnesses (family members, friends, employees etc.) who had access to the decedent just prior to the death.

Once the detectives arrive at the scene, they will conduct an examination of the location for any possible evidence. If a homicide is not readily apparent, they will look at all potential manners of death. In suspected drug related deaths, they’ll be looking for such items as prescription bottles and, or, drug paraphernalia (syringes, narcotics, crack pipes etc). If it appears to be a suicide, they’ll be looking for indications on the body as to the cause of death such as a gunshot wound, ligature markings (hanging), slit wrists etc. They’ll also be looking for the instrument that caused the injury (gun, knife, rope, pills, etc.) along with the proximity of the body to the item(s). Interestingly, many times a suicide decedent does not leave a suicide note, contrary to popular belief.

Photographs of the death scene are usually taken. The detectives will attempt to interview anyone who had recent access to the decedent’s location. If video of the location is available (hotel/motel corridors etc.) they will be reviewed. Here in Los Angeles County, the decedent’s body is not moved by the detectives at the scene. The Coroner’s investigator at the scene maintains control of the body. He or she is the one that does a detailed examination of the body at the scene with the detectives closely looking on.

If the cause of death is not readily apparent (natural, suicide, accidental, homicide) the case is considered undetermined until an autopsy is conducted. Oftentimes the coroner’s office will hold off on a final determination of the cause of death until the toxicological results for drug analysis come back. This usually takes approximately thirty days. Here in Los Angeles County, the coroner’s office is the one that makes the final decision on the cause of death.

WAS THAT REALLY EDDIE HASKELL?

2012-02-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

While I was in the LAPD Police Academy, they would have role playing situations for the recruits where they would have staff personnel acting as suspects in field situations. On this one day, we were doing vehicle pullovers. The first recruit officer went through his run and then returned to our group with a quizzical look on his face. We all asked him how it went. He said, “You’re not going to believe this, but the driver of the car was Eddie Haskell, the real Eddie Haskell, and he talked and acted just like him.” Eddie Haskell was the character on the TV show ‘Leave it to Beaver’ when we were kids. Haskell was the guy who was overly polite to everyone’s parents and was mean and ornery behind their backs. Everybody of my generation remembered him.

We all thought the first guy was hallucinating until it was our turn. Sure enough, it really was Eddie Haskell. Well, actually, it was LAPD Officer Ken Osmond, the actor who played the character of Eddie Haskell in the show. After the show had its full run, he had joined the LAPD. At the time I was in the academy, he was one of the staff instructors. He looked exactly as he did when he was on TV. He later became a motorcycle officer with the department. Can you imagine getting pulled over by a motor officer and getting a traffic ticket and looking up and seeing it was Eddie Haskell! I’m sure he had a lot of funny stories as to how people reacted to him when he cited them.

The dangers of police work caught up to Ken Osmond. He went in foot pursuit of a suspect who shot him three times. Two shots hit him in the chest, but luckily he was wearing a bullet proof vest. The third shot ricocheted off of his belt buckle and he survived. He eventually retired from the job.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU LOSE A VEHICLE TAIL

2012-02-01T13:18:00.000-08:00

What do you do when you lose your Subject? Believe me; if you do enough surveillances, it’s inevitably going to happen. Especially on one person vehicle surveillances, there is no margin of error. Sometimes you don’t make it through a red light, or the Subject’s vehicle makes a lane change and you’re suddenly cut off, or traffic swallows you up and you lose sight of the vehicle. You try to plan for every contingency, but things happen. Whatever the reason, if you lose sight of the Subject’s vehicle, the first thing to try to remember is not to panic. Often time you can find the Subject once you resume travel, so keep driving. Look down the side streets your passing and you might spot his vehicle. There’s a good chance that another upcoming light will have stopped him. If you still can’t spot him, try a quick search of the area to see if he pulled over and parked. Here’s also where a good information briefing with you client beforehandreally helps. When the client is initially providing you all the information he has on the Subject to be followed, make sure you ask the client where the Subject may be going when you’re tailing him. This is when that information will oftentimes pay off if you’ve lost him. Head to that location now and you just might find the Subject there. If you still don’t find him, return to the original surveillance location to see if the Subject has returned. Give it some time, and he might just show back up.

DRIVING TIPS FOR VEHICLE SURVELLANCE

2012-01-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

Here are some driving tips for the actual vehicle surveillance. First, always try to do a reconnaissance or at least a Google map check of the location sometime before you do the actual surveillance. This will help you to know when there are parking restrictions on the street, what the street parking situation looks like, likely avenues of travel, and what the subject’s home or business looks like. When you park your car and are setup, always be sure to lock your doors and keep your keys in the ignition. You don’t want to be fumbling around for your keys when your Subject starts to move. Practice ahead of time on how you’re going to quickly move from the back seat to the driver’s seat. More than likely as a PI you’ll be working alone, so be sure to stay close enough to the Subject’s vehicle when he first takes off so you won’t lose him. Once you’re comfortably behind that vehicle, try not to bumper lock him. Initially on surface streets, you may have to be behind him due to traffic. That’s all right, because most drivers are unaware their being followed and never check for it. Once you’re comfortable with the traffic flow and the way the Subject drives, you don’t have to be in the same lane in order to follow him. Be aware of your surroundings, especially to the lanes on your right and left. You can move into them so as not to be constantly behind the Subject. If traveling on service streets, pay attention to the on-coming green lights in case you need to close the gap so as to make the light. If you’re traveling on a lightly congested road or a major freeway, you can always let a car in between you and the Subject’s vehicle for cover. If your Subject pulls over and parks, you can always drive past him and park. Use your side or rear view mirror to view him. If I’m sitting in the front seat when my Subject pulls away, I always like to duck down until he drives by.

CONDUCTING VEHICLE SURVEILLANCES

2012-01-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

Here are some good tips to start you off about vehicle surveillances. These are good for both private investigators and police detectives. The first thing to look at is your vehicle. Try to use one that is a neutral colors or lighter shades of gray or blue. Stay away from the garish colors like red or orange because they really stick out. Try not to use a white or black vehicle, because they also stand out. The next thing to look at is to use a vehicle that blends in to the area. In cities and suburbs, small SUVs are perfect because so many people drive them. The next thing to think about is what can people see inside your vehicle when their close up. Most vehicles come with at least the rear passenger and rear windows tinted. Here in California you can’t have the front windshield or front driver and passenger windows tinted. You can still cut down on the lighting by using a good front sunscreen shield. You can also hang dark clothing on the side window hooks to cut down on light and interior visibility. Next thing to think about is creature comforts. Make sure you thoroughly clean all your windows, both inside and outside, before you leave home base. There is nothing worse than having difficulty seeing through on-coming headlight glare at night due to dirty windows. You’ll need bottled water, protein bars and I always bring a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some fruit. Remember, you’re going to be in this vehicle for potentially four hours plus. You definitely need something to use if nature calls. I like to use something with a large rounded top, like a Snapple bottle or a hospital urine bottle. Bring some pillows you can use to prop up your neck and back against the seat for creature comfort. If you’re uncomfortable and moving around in the vehicle, this will cause it to shake and possibly give you away. I like to bring a small portable radio to listen to on low volume because it helps the time go by. Do not bring any reading material because you have to concentrate at all times. If you’re a smoker, don’t do it in the vehicle. Make sure the dome light is off or rendered useless. Nothing worse at night then getting out of the vehicle and having the dome light silhouette you.

WHEN IT RAINED BULLETS IN THE CITY OF ANGELS

2012-01-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

Back when I worked as a police officer and homicide detective for the LAPD in South Central Los Angeles in the 1970s and 1980s, it was a custom there that on New Year’s Eve the local citizens would fire off their guns in celebration. You would hear a cacophony of gunshots from 11:30 PM on New Year’s Eve till about 1:00 AM New Year’s Morning. If you were working patrol during those hours, you would try to get back to the station and sit in the parking lot to avoid getting hit. I vividly recall pulling into the station parking lot and seeing a guy who lived in one of the apartments next to the station run out on his porch and fire a bunch of rounds from his gun into the air right around the stroke of midnight. If you couldn’t make it back in by then because you were on a call, as soon as you cleared that scene you’d at least try to make it to a freeway underpass if you weren’t close to the station. It wasn’t that people took a free pass to shoot at the cops, it was just that there were so many guns down there and so many rounds going off you might become an accidental casualty. Newton’s Law of Gravity, what comes up must come down, definitely plays into effect here. All those rounds being shot in the air have to go someplace, so if they go up, eventually there going to go down. They also come down at the same speed they went up. My homicide partner at 77^th Street Division handled a murder that happened just around midnight one New Year’s Eve where the unfortunate victim happened to be walking down the street when a spent bullet came down and hit him on top of the head, killing him instantly. With so many people firing their guns off in celebration in the area, how were you going to identify the shooter? The case went unsolved. One year we put a tape recorder on top of the station on New Year’s Eve and left it up there for about an hour. When we played it back, it sounded like the Battle of Hue City (Viet Nam). So every year when I celebrate the New Year, my memories take me back to the one night each year when it rained bullets in the City of Angels.

HOW I STARTED MY PRIVATE INVESTIGATIVE CAREER

2011-12-27T22:44:00.000-08:00

I initially obtained my PI license while still an active LAPD police officer more as a lark the anything else. I never thought about using it, especially while I was still on the job. It was more along the lines of an interesting topic of conversation. One day while I was a detective I was sitting at the prosecution table as the investigating officer on a case. During the pause in the preceding, I happened to pull out my newly arrived PI license. The Assistant District Attorney who was prosecuting the case was one whom I had assisted in a number of cases throughout my career and knew my abilities. When she asked me about it, I told her I had just gotten my license. She then asked me if I was going to use it. I told her I really hadn’t thought much about actively using it while I was still on the job. She then went on to tell me that her husband was the senior partner in a Los Angeles civil law firm that had trouble finding any good private investigators. She told me she was going to have him contact me. Sure enough, a few days later, he called me and asked if I would be interested in working with him on a large civil case. From that point on I received a steady flow of civil cases and referrals to other attorneys. Divine intervention, fate, luck, whatever you want to call it, my life was changed in a fateful moment.

HOW DO INVESTIGATORS FIND WITNESSES

2011-12-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

You’ve been hired to investigate an incident that took place 3 months prior. Let’s say it’s a traffic accident. It occurred on a specific day at a specific time. How do you go about finding any witnesses to the accident, particularly if it happened some time ago. In a case like this, you go back to the tried and true old fashion way, you conduct a canvass of the area.

Time permitting, it’s very important that you conduct your witness canvass on the same day of the week and at the same time that the incident happened. Let me give an example of what I mean. An attorney hired me to investigate a traffic accident. The accident took place on a weekend night shortly after midnight. It occurred on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood. I went there on the same day of the week and began my canvass about a half hour before the accident occurred. There were a few stores still open, and I happened to find an employee at one of the businesses who happened to be looking out the window and saw the accident. Because he was a night time employee, I never would have found him if I had gone out in the daytime to canvass.

Another reason you want to go out at the same time as the incident is that you can see what the lighting in the area was like at the time of the incident along with the pedestrian and vehicle traffic. This gives you a much better feel for the incident scene similar to when it occurred. You also may find a witness on a delivery truck or other work related vehicle that happens to stop by around the time of your incident. As I’ve stated before on this blog, you only need to find one witness to break a case wide open.

PURSUING GANG KILLERS

2011-12-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

With all these seemingly insurmountable difficulties, how then do gang murders get solved. My answer, in one word, is HEAT! You have to be relentless. You keep constant pressure on the rival gang, both with uniformed police presence, gang units, and good detective work. You make it difficult for them to conduct their criminal activities. I’ll give you an example. My partner and I handled a gang murder where an OG (Original Gangster, or older member) had been shot down in front of his house shortly after being paroled. Besides being out in that neighborhood every day, we arrested over the span of the investigation numerous gang members for guns, narcotics, parole violations and various other felonies and assorted misdemeanors. We even arrested one individual for an outstanding traffic warrant on Christmas Eve. Like I said, the heat was relentless. You interview every arrestee in an attempt to gain intelligence on the gang and especially to turn them as an informant on your murder case. You go into the jails every day and interview arrestees who have been arrested in the vicinity of the murder. You’re looking to develop an informant who can give you the information you need to identify the killers. Believe me, not too many people, no matter how hard core they are, want to spend a lot of time incarcerated in prison if they can give out information that can cut their sentence down. You just have to be patient and skilled on this approach.

The gang unit’s expertise is invaluable in identifying suspect(s) real names from their gang names and monikers. Eventually when an informant’s information is corroborated or a witness comes forward and the suspect(s) have been identified, you begin to close in on the killers. Believe it or not, some people still refuse to be intimidated and come forward as witnesses and do the right thing. The detectives then obtain search and arrest warrants and attempt to obtain additional evidence, like the gun(s) used, clothing worn etc. Gang members don’t always get rid of guns, and they often pass them around to their fellow gang members. Once the suspect(s) have been apprehended, the detective’s final effort is to attempt to obtain a confession. Oftentimes it may come down to the suspect(s) walking on the charges unless the detectives are skilled interrogators and can obtain a confession.

MORE ON WALKING SURVEILLANCES

2011-12-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

Here are some additional tips on conducting walking surveillances. You don’t have to be on the same side of the street to follow someone. I find it’s actually more advantageous to walk on the opposite side of the street when following someone. Even when they’re ‘hinked up’ and looking for a tail, they usually only look behind and rarely if ever look across the street. Try putting An object between yourself and the subject. The best one is a parked car. You can stand to the rear of a parked car and peer through the rear & front windows of the vehicle and observe an individual for a long distance without exposing yourself. You can also use mailboxes, telephone poles or any other object that’s handy. If there’s a bus bench around, sit down and enjoy the rest while you take in the subject. Use store windows as mirrors and building entrances to mask your profile. You can also walk pass the Subject and and view him as he walks by. A great way to do that is to enter a store and then watch him through the window.

My partner and I once followed two car burglars on foot during the Christmas shopping season for over 3 hours in downtown Los Angeles before they finally hit a car. It was in the business district and there were numerous pedestrians, parked vehicles and open air parking lots along the streets. They cased a number of vehicles but for some reason would back off on each one. They finally went into a parking lot where they quickly punched the trunk lock with a screwdriver, removed the stored gifts and closed the trunk, all within a few seconds. They were surprised to say the least when my partner and I appeared from out of nowhere and hooked them up. Remember, patience and good tactics are the key to any successful surveillance.

HOW TO DO WALKING SURVEILLANCES

2011-11-30T16:51:00.000-08:00

Most PI’s do a lot of vehicle surveillances, but there will usually come a time when you’ll be out of a car and have to follow a subject on foot. The first thing to keep in mind is to dress according to the neighborhood. It’s wise to carry an extra set of clothes in your vehicle in case where you’re going doesn’t fit what you’re currently wearing. Try to wear comfortable walking shoes. I prefer black ones, because they can also pass for dress shoes if you have to go upscale. Wear neutral colored clothing. Don’t wear bright colors like red or orange that will make you stick out. I also like to wear dark colored baseball hats without a logo. You can take it off and stick it in your pocket for a different look. When following someone on foot, the most important thing is to know how the subject looks from behind. Rarely will you be in front of him/her to see their face. The next important thing is to pay attention to the subject’s walking gait, because that’s what you’ll be keying on, especially in a crowd. Don’t be too close to the subject. Remember that you can only have to see a small portion of the subject and still successfully follow him. I once followed an individual who was carrying a black gym bag in his hand on a busy downtown street. At times all I could see was a portion of the bag, yet I was able to follow him successfully.

VEHICLE SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT YOU NEED

2011-11-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the actual surveillance tools you’ll need for your vehicle.. Have a small tape recorder available because you won’t have the time to be writing things down like license numbers, addresses or descriptions. Whether you’re parked or driving, you can dictate right into the recorder. Keep a pen and paper handy for when you have time to write things down. You need some type of binoculars for distance viewing. I like to have both binoculars and a monocular. I find the latter is great if you’re sitting in the front seat of your vehicle and you don’t want to be obvious by using binoculars. A monocular is small and used with one hand. Make sure you have a number of coins handy in case you have to use metered parking. Have a good video and single shot camera that you’re familiar with. For camera use, I suggest at least a 70-300 lens. It’s also a good idea to have a tri-pod that you can use for shots focused on one spot. This stabilizes the camera for better pictures. Be sure that you have charged the batteries on both your video and single shot camera. If you do a lot of surveillance work, you might want to think about getting a portable air conditioner that you can run off of the cigarette lighter in the vehicle. Sitting inside a vehicle with the windows closed, especially during the dog days of summer, can be brutal. Bring some pillows to prop up against the seat for extra comfort. Lastly, make sure you have a change of clothes and a baseball hat in case you need to change clothing and/or your appearance.

THE BEST DETERRENT TO COP KILLING

2011-11-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

As a brand new officer with the LAPD, I was fortunate to have as a training officer the best street cop I ever worked with, and I worked with a lot of them. This was the first night I ever worked with him. As it was getting close to End of Watch, we started the perennial circling pattern near the station so when the on-coming shift came down we’d get in quick. It was near midnight and we were driving in a residential neighborhood when we both noticed two men peering into the picture window of the corner house. Even though I had only a few months on the job, I knew something wasn’t right. My training officer stopped the car, and we both jumped out with our guns drawn. The two men both started walking away from the house in different directions. As we yelled for them to freeze, they both reached into their waistbands and tossed guns on us. After proning them out on the ground and calling for backup, they were taken into custody without further incident.

Once we got them back to the station, my training officer interviewed them separately with me just sitting there. One of them confessed that they were hit men sent out from the East Coast to kill the people who lived in that house. He was a parolee and had done a lot of prison time back east. My training officer asked him, what with his prior record, the fact that he was on parole and had a gun, and knowing he would go back to prison again for this, why didn’t he shoot it out with us. I will never forget what the suspect said. He told my partner, “You both came out of the police car with your guns out, and you were ready. I didn’t want to die!” My training officer then told him, “Your right. We’d of shot you down like a dog in the street.”

After we booked them, I talked to my training officer about that conversation. He told me that every time he got a gun off of a suspect, he would always ask them why they didn’t shoot it out and try to get away. Invariably they’d say something like you were ready, or it wasn’t worth it, but whatever the reason they’d initially give, they’d usually end by saying they didn’t want to die. He would give them that signature line about being shot down like a dog in the street to make an imprint on their mind. He told me, “Someday that guy may have the drop on some cop. I want him to think about the consequences and what’s going to happen to him if he kills a cop. I figure someday that will save a cop’s life.”

From that day on every time I got a gun off of a suspect, I had the same conversation and told him the same thing. I’m sure there’s more then one cop walking around alive today because a suspect who had a gun and had the drop on him hesitated when he thought of the consequences.

HOW I BECAME A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

2011-11-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

One night while I was still a rookie police officer with the LAPD, my training officer and I made a felony arrest. In those days, in order to book an arrestee for a felony, you had to get booking approval from the night watch detective. On this particular night, our division night watch detective was on a day off, so we had to go to another division to get booking approval. When I handed their night watch detective the booking approval, I noticed he was looking at what appeared to be an identification card that had his photograph on it. Being naturally inquisitive, I asked him what the card was. He replied that it was his private investigative license. I was non-pulsed, to say the least. I asked him how a police officer could also be a private investigator. He told me that the department allowed you to work as a private investigator off-duty as long as you didn’t work any criminal cases or civil cases involving the City of Los Angeles. He added that you needed three years on the job before you could apply to the state and take the PI test. You also needed a work permit from the department after you received the license. I filed that away in my mind under things to do later, and thirteen years later I took the test and obtained my PI license. Another chance encounter, but one that would later have a large impact on my life.

PS-Some years after I retired, after a headline grabbing case, the LAPD rescinded their approval of allowing officers work off-duty as PIs.

HOW I BECAME A COP

2011-11-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

I’m a big believer in Divine intervention. What I mean is that oftentimes we try to plan and calculate our important life decisions, but what usually happens it’s the chance encounter or the ‘lucky’ incident that dramatically affect our lives. Take my life, for instance. I became a Los Angeles police officer by what I think was divine intervention. I was still in the Marines and had returned from my first overseas deployment. I was stationed at a large naval base on the east coast. I had decided to leave the Marine Corps and go into law enforcement. I was due to be separated from the Corps in one week. I was late for chow and took a shortcut to get to the mess hall. Just by chance I ran into my old battalion Sergeant Major who I had served with overseas. Neither of us had known the other had been stationed at this base. After I advised him I was getting out of the Marine Corps, he asked me what I was going to do. I told him I wanted to go into law enforcement, and I was going to apply to either Philadelphia PD or NYPD. I also mentioned that they, like most police departments on the East Coast, had a one year residency requirement. The Sergeant Major then asked me if I had ever thought about the Los Angeles Police Department. He might as well have asked me if I had thought about a police department on the moon. When I brought up the fact that not only did I not know anyone in Los Angeles, I thought I might have a tough time finding a job there while I waited for the one year residency to kick in. He then floored me with the fact that not only did they not have a residency requirement; he had a high ranking contact on the department. One week later, I was an honorably discharged Marine and flying across the country to Los Angeles. I spent 22 years working as a police officer and later as a detective, and as they say, the rest is history.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS FROM THE BUSINESS END 102

2011-10-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

You’re a newly licensed PI, and now you’re looking for clients. Of course you get nice business cards and letterhead done (Hint: Use good bonded paper and have it done by a professional printer). Start reading books and articles about running a small business. Read up on marketing and advertising. Join one of your state’s professional investigative associations. Attend their meetings and networking with experienced investigators. Most are only too willing to help out a new person in the field. Join the association’s List Serve. It’s an invaluable way to gain knowledge and also to ask questions about issues that com up in your work. Attend your association's seminars. You will not only learn a great deal, but it's another way to network with other investigators. When starting out and things are slow, try to gain sub-contract work from a reputable, experience PI. Once you’ve established your work with them, ask them if they wouldn’t mind helping you learn the business end of the work. I was fortunate after I retired to have two PIs mentor me. One is flamboyant, colorful, larger than life, and the best business mind I know in this field. He is also a very under rated investigator. The other runs a large firm and has an extremely professional operation. Both were very generous of their time in teaching me the business end of private investigations. Lastly, have ethics in this business. When someone helps you as a mentor, don’t be a dog and then turn around and try to steal their clients.

SURVEILLANCES: ARE YOU REALLY BURNED?

2011-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

Especially to a new person just starting out in surveillance work, one of the big questions that comes up often in a tail is, am I burned? Has the subject made me? Here’s two incidents that happened to me which may be of help to you. When I was a young police officer, I was able to get a loan to my division’s narcotic unit. I was fortunate to work with some exceptional dope cops there who had the patience to teach me their trade. On my first vehicle surveillance we were following a couple of amphetamine abusers or ‘tweekers.’ They drove erratically, pulling over for no reason, making u-turns, and just doing things that to a new-be like me I just knew we were burned. The veteran detective I was with just told me to stay on them and keep following them. Eventually we arrested them, and when we interviewed them I was shocked to learn they had no idea they were being followed. The second incident happened after I retired and was working as a PI. I had been hired by a client on a cheating spouse case. I followed the errant spouse to a swap meet and some other locations and at some point he made a U-turn in the middle of a busy street. I was able to pick him up again, eventually following him to a residence where picked up his girlfriend and went shopping with her. The point is, most of the time on a surveillance the subject has no idea he/she is being followed. In the first incident, the veteran detective told me that ‘tweekers’ always drive crazy. In the second incident, I had the job experience to feel that even though the subject made a u-turn, he wasn’t looking back in his rear view mirror or turning around to look directly at my vehicle. I stayed on him, got good photographs, and had one satisfied client.

DEALING WITH THE POLICE

2011-10-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

How do you deal with the police when you’re a PI? What do you do if you’ve never been a police officer, yet you need to work with them or get information from them on one of your cases. Here’s what I suggest. First try to contact a police officer or detective that you know who works the same department as the detective handling your case. Ask him/her for an introduction to the police officer your trying to contact. If you don’t know it already, cops are very clannish. It always helps to have a gatekeeper. Once you have a contact person on your case, try to go in person. I always find that it’s a lot harder for someone to blow me off in person then it is on the phone. Here’s another helpful hint. The best time to contact a police detective is between 7/8:00 AM. They usually try to get a jump on their paperwork and case load at that time before they head out to court or the field. Once you actually get to speak with the detective, don’t be intimidated. Most detectives will be helpful, especially if you have something to give them that will help them in a case. Once they’ve warmed up to you in person, they’ll often tell you things they normally wouldn’t tell you over the phone. Here’s another tip. Every detective bureau has its share of slugs and does nothings. But they also have their one or two hard working street detectives who know all the bad guys, the crime patterns in their area, and will work their tails off with any information you can provide them. The trick here is you have to find that one. If you don’t know anyone in that department and/or division, try to find a veteran uniformed officer, identify yourself, and ask him point blank, “Who’s the best street cop in the detective bureau.” That’s the guy you want to deal with.

RATHER BE LUCKY THEN GOOD AGAIN

2011-10-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Recently I had to deliver some legal papers to a client from a law firm who was having difficulty getting them to respond to their numerous calls and letters. These were important papers that needed their signature, and with a court deadline looming, they couldn’t get them to respond. Getting increasingly desperate, they turned to me for help. I went out to the client’s residence and door knocked it with no response. Now what do you do? Do you wait or do you come back? I usually choose to move my car from the location and park away from the residence but from a vantage point where I can still see it. You can usually get away with a stakeout for about ½ to 1 hour by reading a newspaper in the car without the neighbors getting too nosey. After sitting in the hot sun and waiting an hour, I figured I’d give it one more try before I left. As I parked near the location and was in the process of putting on my sports jacket, who just happens to drive up and park in the driveway? None other than the law firm’s wayward client! I got the paperwork signed, and one more happy and satisfied client. Like I always say, better to be lucky than good.

HOW CHANCE ENCOUNTERS CAN EFFECT OUR LIVES

2011-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

I’m a big believer in Divine intervention. What I mean is that oftentimes we try to plan and calculate our important life decisions, but what usually happens it’s the chance encounter or the ‘lucky’ incident that dramatically affect our lives. Take my life, for instance. I became a Los Angeles police officer by what I think was divine intervention. I was still in the Marines and had returned from my overseas deployment. I was stationed at a large naval base on the east coast. I had decided to leave the Marine Corps and go into law enforcement. I was due to be separated from the Corps in one week. I was late for chow and took a shortcut to get to the mess hall. Just by chance I ran into my old battalion Sergeant Major who I had served with overseas. Neither of us had known the other had been stationed at this base. After I advised him I was getting out of the Marine Corps, he asked me what I was going to do. I told him I wanted to go into law enforcement, and I was going to apply to either Philadelphia PD or NYPD. I also mentioned that they, like most police departments on the East Coast, had a one year residency requirement. The Sergeant Major then asked me if I had ever thought about the Los Angeles Police Department. He might as well have asked me if I had thought about a police department on the moon. When I brought up the fact that not only did I not know anyone in Los Angeles, I thought I might have a tough time finding a job while I waited for the one year residency to kick in. He then floored me with the fact that not only did they not have a residency requirement; he had a high ranking contact on the department from his days when he had been stationed there on recruiting duty. One week later, I was an honorably discharged Marine and flying across the country to Los Angeles. I spent 22 years working as a police officer and later as a detective for the LAPD, and as they say, the rest is history.

FORENSICS: IT’S WHAT YOU KNOW AT THE TIME THAT COUNTS

2011-09-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

When I was a young homicide detective we had a case where a young woman had been strangled and her body was left in a vacant field. The body was naked except for her panties. An examination of those panties revealed some small plant-like material inside them. My partner and I took the material to a botany professor at a very prestigious university nearby. After examining the residue, he advised us it was pink heather. Additionally he told us it was a small plant that grows back east, not in southern California. He also said it was it was used for garnishment in floral displays. This really caught our attention. The victim’s boyfriend was employed at the time at a flower shop. Once we had this information we raced up to the flower shop and detained the boyfriend. We took him back to the station where he eventually confessed to the murder. The next day we got a call from the botany professor. He was extremely apologetic and advised us that he had been incorrect in his analysis. During the criminal trial of the boyfriend, the court ruled that the confession was admissible because the detectives were acting on the information they knew at the time, which was based on the expert botany professor’s analysis. Every time I go into a flower shop, I still think of that case and pink heather.

HOW TO DO WALKING SURVEILLANCES

2011-09-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

Most PI’s do a lot of vehicle surveillances, but there will usually come a time when you’ll be out of a car and have to follow a subject on foot. The first thing to keep in mind is to dress according to the neighborhood. It’s wise to carry an extra set of clothes in your vehicle in case where you’re going doesn’t fit with what you’re currently wearing. Try to wear comfortable walking shoes. I prefer black ones, because they can also pass for dress shoes if you have to go upscale. Wear neutral colored clothing. Don’t wear bright colors like red or orange that will make you stick out. I also like to have handy a dark colored baseball hats without a logo. You can put it on or take it off and it gives you a different look. When following someone on foot, the most important thing is to know how the subject looks from behind. Rarely will you be in front of him/her to see their face. The next important thing is to pay attention to the subject’s walking gait, because that’s what you’ll be keying on, especially in a crowd. Don’t be too close to the subject. Remember that you can only have to see a small portion of the subject and still successfully follow him. I once followed an individual who was carrying a black gym bag in his hand on a busy downtown street. At times all I could see was a portion of the bag, yet I was able to follow him successfully. Keep in mind that most people are oblivious to their surroundings and are totally unaware someone is following them.

GETTING STARTED IN THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS BUSINESS

2011-09-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

If you're ’re a newly licensed PI, and now you’re looking for clients. Of course you get nice business cards and letterhead done (Hint: Use good bonded paper and have it done by a professional printer). Start reading books and articles about running a small business. Read up on marketing and advertising. Join one of your state’s professional investigative associations. Start networking with experienced investigators. Most are only too willing to help out a new person in the field. Join the association’s List Serve. It’s an invaluable way to gain knowledge and also to ask questions about issues that com up in your work. When starting out and things are slow, try to gain sub-contract work from a reputable, experienced PI. Once you’ve established your work with them, ask them if they wouldn’t mind helping you learn the business end of the work. I was fortunate after I retired to have two PIs mentor me. One was flamboyant, colorful, larger than life, and the best business mind I know in this field. He is also a very under rated investigator. The other runs a large firm and has an extremely professional operation. Both were very generous of their time in teaching me the business end of private investigations. Lastly, have ethics in this business. When someone helps you as a mentor, don’t be a dog and then turn around and try to steal their clients.

DEALING WITH THE POLICE

2011-08-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

How do you deal with the police when you’re a PI? What do you do if you’ve never been a police officer, yet you need to work with them or get information from them on one of your cases? Here’s what I suggest. First try to contact a police officer or detective that you know who works the same department as the detective handling your case. Ask him/her for an introduction to the police officer your trying to contact. If you don’t know it already, cops are very clannish. It always helps to have a gatekeeper. Once you have a contact person on your case, try to go in person. I always find that it’s a lot harder for someone to blow me off in person then it is on the phone. Here’s another helpful hint.The best time to contact a police detective is between 7/8:00 AM. They usually try to get a jump on their paperwork and case load at that time before they head out to court or the field. Once you actually get to speak with the detective, don’t be intimidated. Most detectives will be helpful, especially if you have something to give them that will help them in a case. Once they’ve warmed up to you in person, they’ll often tell you things they normally wouldn’t tell you over the phone. Here’s another tip: Every detective bureau has its share of slugs and do-nothings; but, they usually have one or two hard working street detectives who know all the bad guys, the crime patterns in their area, and will work their tails off with any information you can provide them. The trick here is you have to find that one. If you don’t know anyone in that department and, or, division, try to find a veteran uniformed officer, identify yourself, and ask him point blank, “Who’s the best street cop in the detective bureau?” That’s the guy you want to deal with.

HOW I BECAME A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

2011-08-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

PS-Some years after I retired, after a headline grabbing case, the LAPD rescinded their approval of allowing officers work off-duty as PIs.

DIVINE INTERVENTION AND/OR FATE 101

2011-08-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

I’m a big believer in Divine intervention. What I mean is that oftentimes we try to plan and calculate our important life decisions, but what usually happens is it’s the chance encounter or the ‘lucky’ incident that dramatically affect our lives. Take my life, for instance. I became a Los Angeles police officer by what I think was divine intervention. I was still in the Marines and had returned from my first overseas deployment. I was stationed at a large naval base on the east coast. I had decided to leave the Marine Corps and go into law enforcement. I was due to be separated from the Corps in one week. I was late for chow and took a shortcut to get to the mess hall. Just by chance I ran into my old battalion Sergeant Major who I had served with overseas. Neither of us had known the other had been stationed at this base. After I advised him I was getting out of the Marine Corps, he asked me what I was going to do. I told him I wanted to go into law enforcement, and I was going to apply to either Philadelphia PD or NYPD. I also mentioned that they, like most police departments on the East Coast, had a one year residency requirement. The Sergeant Major then asked me if I had ever thought about the Los Angeles Police Department. He might as well have asked me if I had thought about a police department on the moon. When I brought up the fact that not only did I not know anyone in Los Angeles, I thought I might have a tough time finding a job while I waited for the one year residency to kick in. He then floored me with the fact that not only did they not have a residency requirement; he had a high ranking contact on the department. One week later, I was an honorably discharged Marine and flying across the country to Los Angeles. I spent 22 years working as a police officer and later as a detective, and as they say, the rest is history.

THE NIGHT STALKER

2011-08-08T15:11:00.001-07:00

From April 1984 through August 1985, the state of California was terrorized by a series of 13 grisly murders that would eventually become known as the Night Stalker case. Richard Ramirez was eventually arrested and convicted on the case and now sits on Death Row. Because the murders happened in both the City and County of Los Angeles, both the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had their own separate task forces to investigate the crimes. I was one of the 11 LAPD Metropolitan Division officers who were loaned up to LAPD Robbery-Homicide Division to assist their detectives on the case. I can still vividly recall one of their senior detectives giving us our initial briefing on the case. He told us that they thought the killer was taunting the police because at one of the murder scenes he scrawled what looked to them to be a Sheriffs badge. What we didn’t know at the time, but found out as the case progressed, was that it was a pentagram, the sign of the devil. As the investigation continued, it became more apparent that the suspect was involved in devil worship. I mentioned to the lieutenant in charge of our task force that the Catholic Church has an exorcist in each of their diocese who would be very knowledgeable on that subject and maybe able to help us. He gave me the approval to contact the Los Angeles Archdiocese, and they put me in contact with a priest in one of the nearby parishes. When I contacted him by phone, I was somewhat circumspect about the real reason we wanted to talk to him. I just told him we were working on a case that might have overtones of devil worship and could he help us out. He readily agreed to talk to us, and I brought him down to the task force headquarters at the old Parker Center headquarters of the LAPD. When he walked into the task force office he saw the large computerized print out with the words’ Night Stalker Task Force’ spread out on the wall. He turned to me and said, “I thought this was what it was about.” For the next hour and a half, he spoke to us about devil worship, Satan, and the Black Mass. There were 6 veteran homicide detectives from RHD along with 11 hardened street cops from Metro in the room at the time. He had our rapt attention. When he was finished, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. We all wondered what had we gotten ourselves into here. I’ll write more about this case in some of my up-coming posts.

INTERVIEWS/INTERROGATING PAROLEES & EX-CONS

2011-08-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

Many police detectives and private investigators think you can’t get any information from parolees and ex-cons. Going one step further, many think it’s all but impossible to get them to cop out to a crime during an interrogation. Nothing could be further from the truth. I think in many ways their the easiest to get to give it up. The other side would argue their case this way. Why would a guy with a 40 page rap sheet tell you anything? My response is, if a guy is supposed to be so smart, why does he have a 40 page rap sheet! We’re not dealing with the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler or some other master criminal. As to giving up information, they probably respond easier than someone who is new to the criminal justice system. Whether it’s to show off how much they know, greed, envy, revenge or self protection, you just have to find the psychological key that turns on the spigot. I’ll give you an example. When I was a police detective, I’d go into the jail at my division everyday and see who got arrested the previous day. I was always looking to see if anyone got arrested in the area where a major crime had recently happened. After I cleared it with the detectives handling an individual’s specific case, I’d go in and talk to a number of arrestees to see what they knew and how they could help themselves. This one time I gave my usual pitch to a hard core ex-con who had already been incarcerated for many years and now was looking at another long stretch. He respectfully listened to my pitch and then said to me, “No disrespect, Detective, but I ain’t ever been a snitch, and I can do the time standing on my head!” As a last ditch effort, I told him I respected him for that. I then asked him if there was someone he didn’t like, maybe someone who was doing his old lady when he was in the joint. It was like a light bulb went off in his head. He smiled at me and said he did have somebody like that. He gave me information on a guy that we were able to act on and make an arrest. They’ll be times when you strikeout, but if your persistent, and keep your word to them, you’ll start making cases.

INTERROGATION 102

2011-07-26T13:01:00.000-07:00

What is the chief skill necessary to be a good interrogator? First and foremost, you have to have confidence in yourself. If you have a method that you learned and studied, then go into that interrogation room believing that you’re going to go in there and get a suspect to cop out. Don’t let the severity of the crime scare you. What’s the difference between a petty theft and a triple murder when it comes to an interrogation? Nothing other than the latter has two more pieces of evidence (the murder victims). Some investigators get spooked if it’s a serious crime, or if it’s taped and/or video recorded. If you have a good method that you’ve worked on, it doesn’t matter. The technique is always the same, no matter how minor or how serious the crime. After I became comfortable with the book method I chose, I didn’t care if they had me doing it on national television with a full crowd in the Los Angeles Coliseum. One time I had a young detective trainee listen in from another room in the police station while I interviewed a parolee on a case. After I got him to cop out to the crime, I went and spoke with my trainee about it. He told me that he had tape recorded it so he could listen to it again and learn from it. When I advised him that we would have to turn over the tape to the District Attorney’s office and the Suspect’s lawyer, he was embarrassed and apologetic. I told him not to worry, because the method I used every time I interrogated was well within the guidelines of the US Constitution. So go in there and get em, tiger!

HOW TO INTERROGATE 101

2011-07-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

The most important thing to learn about interrogation is that you have to have a method. You can’t just wing it, or worse than that, use the untried and untrue method of interrogation that most police and private investigators use with constant failure. And what method is that, you may ask. It’s the same one that the general public has of interrogations, gleaned from years of watching TV cop shows and movies. Hard to believe, but most cops and PIs use the methods dreamed up by Hollywood screen writers. This is definitely one time you want to go against perceptions. When I first started out as a police detective, I was embarrassed because I couldn’t get suspects to cop out to any crimes they committed. Using my Dad’s axiom that if you don’t know something, someone wrote a book on it, I went down to a legal bookstore and found a book on interrogations. Even though it went against my perceived knowledge of interrogations (TV & movies again), I studied it, utilized it every time I interrogated someone, and then critiqued myself. After a while, I was amazed that suspects began coping out to all kinds of crimes. I got to be really successful at obtaining confessions. My success at interrogation wasn’t really due to me, however, it was due to the method that I learned and utilized. Here’s where I’m going with this. Find a method you like. Buy the book and attend the author’s seminar when you can. Study it and believe in it. Use it every time, whether it’s a petty theft or a triple murder. Critique yourself every time when you’re finished. When you get that first cop out, you’ll know it was all worth it.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

2011-07-20T14:34:00.001-07:00

My Dad was an old baseball man. Besides teaching me the finer points of the game, he always said: "If you look like a ballplayer, you’ll play like a ballplayer. If you look like a ham-n-egger, you’ll play like a ham-n-egger." That goes with people’s perception of a professional investigator. Their perception is that he or she wears business attire and carries a notebook or legal pad. If you want to get the job done, it’s usually best to go with perceptions (There are always exceptions, but not on this one). A police detective should always wear a sports jacket and tie, but a private investigator can get away with a nice sports jacket and collared shirt. Even if it’s hot out and your witness canvassing, you should always wear a sports jacket and collared shirt when you’re out dealing with the public. I recall once when I was a homicide detective we had an investigation that took us to a small town in another state. That agency had their narcotic squad also handle their homicides. Even with me, subconsciously it didn’t seem to fit seeing a long haired, bearded and casually dressed detective saying he was a homicide detective. I wonder how many potential witnesses he talked to held back information because of perceptions. They carry you a long way in this business. If you want to be an investigator, dress like an investigator.

CANVASSING FOR WITNESSES 101

2011-07-19T10:45:00.000-07:00

One of the most important and yet often overlooked tools that investigators should use in criminal investigations is the neighborhood canvass for witnesses. Let’s say you’re investigating a burglary that happened at a residence sometime between 8:00 AM when the victim left for work and 5:00 PM when they returned. Usually the police response is uniformed officers who will take a report and do little else. With no suspect(s) seen and no witnesses located, that’s usually the end of their investigation. If you’re the private investigator hired on the case, the next step after your initial interview with the client should be to canvass the block where the crime occurred for witnesses. It’s important to canvass at the time when you’ll find the most potential residents at home. That’s usually in the evening between 5:30 and 7:30 PM on weekdays and 8:00 to 1200 noon on weekends. If you’re going to pick a weeknight, surveys have shown that the evening which most people are home is Thursday nights. Don’t be lazy and just door knock only the next door neighbors. Door knock the whole block, both sides of the street. Always ask if anyone else may live in the residence whose not home when you came by. Get their name and phone number and call them. Leave your business card in the front door of any residences where no one is home with ‘Please Call Me’ printed on it. This may be boring and tedious, but remember, you only need to find one witness to break a case.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS FROM THE BUSINESS END 101

2011-07-14T14:30:00.001-07:00

First and foremost, you have to remember that being a PI is first and foremost a business. If you want to be successful at this over the long haul, you have to focus on this from a business standpoint. There are many outstanding police detectives who become PI’s and ultimately fail at it. They get a Private Investigator’s license, get some business cards and a letterhead printed, and get a business phone. Then they can’t understand when the phone isn’t ringing why they aren’t getting any business. I always counsel other police officers who are thinking of going into PI work that you have to learn the business end to be successful. You need to know marketing, advertising, how much to charge, where to I get information, and most important, how do you get work to come to you. One of the biggest problems I have found with retired officers is that they charge too little. This is a business that is strictly result oriented. The client doesn’t care if you have a fancy office, drive a fancy car, or wear expensive suits. Clients are motivated by one thing, RESULTS! If you get results, you’ll get repeat business.

THE ART OF SURVEILLANCE

2011-07-13T10:32:00.000-07:00

Whether you’re doing vehicle or walking surveillances, there are certain traits you need to acquire to be good at it. The first one is patience. You may be sitting in a vehicle for four or six hours and then suddenly your subject comes out of a location and you have to react. The next important trait is concentration. You have to be focused on that residence or that vehicle, possibly for a lengthy period of time. One turn of the head, one mental lapse, and you can miss your subject and blow the surveillance. You also have to have confidence in yourself and fight off the feeling that you’ve been ‘burned.’ Although it’s hard for new people in this field to understand, most subjects are completely oblivious to their surroundings and never pay attention to a tail. Here are some tips to help you out. Whether you’re on foot or in a vehicle, try not to bumper lock the subject. You don’t have to be right behind the subject in the same lane in a car or even on the same side of the street on foot in order to follow him. Beginners at this are often paranoid and think that if the subject looks in their direction their burned. This is rarely if ever the case. Here’s my rule of thumb. One look by the subject directly at me, no big deal. The emphasis here is on directly at me. A second direct look and I have to be real careful. Now you have to decide if you want to risk a third direct look or come back another day. This will most likely depend on how many hours of surveillance the client has agreed on. A third direct look and you’re probably burned. Lastly, you learn best by doing it, so go out and do it.

HOW TO GET THE BEST INTERVEW

2011-07-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

I learned early on in my career that if you want to get the maximum information out of an interview, it pays to do them in person. Besides listening to the answers, you can also see the interviewee’s body language as they respond to the questions. You can’t see that in a telephone interview. Plus, just like Detective Columbo from the old TV show, when something pops into your head as your going out the door, you can ask "Just one more question." It’s hard to do that after you’ve hung up the phone. It’s also important not to leap into the interview right away. Try to find some common link that can break down the investigator/interviewee formality and make it a person to person talk. Comment on the flower garden, the military picture on the mantel frame or the caged parrot in the living room. Try to get the prospective interviewee to talk about something that interests them. I’ll talk for 10 minutes or more on something interesting in the interviewee’s house or office before I begin the interview. I’ve had bricklayers show me how to lay brick, former high school football players show me the proper 3 point football stance, and little old ladies show me how to tame a parrot. Everybody likes to feel important, and by letting them talk about something that interests them, you are building a bond. Once you segue into the interview, they're already relaxed and comfortable with you. The conversation will just flow, and so will the information.

I'D RATHER BE LUCKY THEN GOOD 101

2011-07-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

Once when I was a homicide detective in South Central Los Angeles, we we’re handling a very difficult gang murder. It had happened in broad daylight on a residential street, but this particular gang had intimidated the neighborhood to the point where after a number of weeks we still didn’t have an eye witness to the murder. We had already canvassed the neighborhood on two previous occasions, but if you’re dead in the water on a case you go back to Detecting 101. So we went back out for a third canvass. We came to one particular house where we had already interviewed the two elderly residents. One was blind and the other one had beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease. Being dogged detectives, and having no other good clues to work with, we again door knocked it. When we were let into the residence, I noticed a middle aged female sitting in the kitchen. She looked towards me, and then immediately looked down at the floor. I walked down the hallway to where she was sitting and the first thing I said to her was, “You saw it, didn’t you!” She slowly looked back up and nodded her head. She identified the shooter and the other participants and we were able to solve the case. Like I said, I'd rather be lucky then good.