No matter what type of case you have, you may be wondering who you should call. You could call the local police, who serve the surrounding community. They likely have hundreds to thousands of cases to solve, which isn’t ideal for a time-sensitive case. On the other hand, you could hire a licensed private investigator, who typically only takes on a small number of cases to fully invest their time, energy, and resources into helping clients in a timely manner. Let’s take a look at some reasons why you should call a private investigator, rather than the local police.
Who Should You Call – the Police or a Private Investigator?
Who you should call depends on your specific case, such as how quickly you need it to be solved, the approach you want to be used, and how much involvement you want to have. It’s important to note that police detectives typically do not take on non-criminal cases. This includes finding a long lost family member, friend, or pet, as well as suspecting a partner of cheating. For these cases, it’s best to hire a private investigator who can take on these cases with expertise, timeliness, and professionalism.
Calling Your Local Police Department
Your local police department is dedicated to enforcing the law in your community. Police detectives take on cases that involve criminal offenses, arresting suspects of crimes, and taking them to prosecutors to face possible criminal charges. However, police detectives do not conduct background checks on employees, someone’s spouse, or a family member or friend. The local police department handles possibly thousands of cases at a given time. Therefore, they do not have the time, staff, or resources to help people with non-criminal cases.
If you own a business, you may suspect one of your employees of committing fraud. This can cost you thousands of dollars in products or profits. Of course, you will want to get your suspicions confirmed. Before you call the police, consider that an embezzlement case may stay on a detective’s desk for a while. This is because police only have so much time, resources, and budget to help local citizens with their cases. It makes sense that a murder or missing person case will take higher priority compared to a case about a long lost family member or employee possibly stealing products from your store.
When you work with a police department, you will receive communication from a variety of people, such as the board, chief, and detectives. As mentioned in this article, the police are always busy handling numerous pressing criminal cases. This can make it difficult to receive regular updates and communication about your important case.
Hiring a Private Investigator
If you have a time-sensitive case that needs to be a top priority, consider hiring a licensed private investigator in your area. Since PIs only take on a few cases at a time, these experts have the time and resources to handle your case as quickly and efficiently as possible. No matter what type of case you have, it’s vital that any information related to your case remain highly confidential. By working with a private investigator, you can rest easy knowing that your PI will only answer to you regarding your case.
As for budget, your PI can work with any budget you are willing to invest into your case. This can open up new opportunities for solving a difficult case that needs answers. Indeed, this is different from working with the local police, as they have budget limitations, which could make it more difficult to solve your case.
We hope this week’s article gave you some insight into the differences between the police and private investigators. Ultimately, the best option for who to call depends on your type of case, when it needs to be solved, and how much involvement you want to have. With a PI, you have a lot of flexibility, control, and involvement, which is a great option for non-criminal cases involving finding a long lost family member, friend, or pet. On the other hand, you may want to call your local police department regarding criminal cases. Keep in mind that most police departments are always busy and have hundreds to thousands of cases to solve. If you are looking for the best Florida private investigator, call PATRIOT Backgrounds and Investigations today at 954-372-1103.
