When you work as a security guard, loss prevention officer, private investigator or process server there are times you need compliance from a bad guy and in this week’s training video I teach the two basic ways to get compliance from the subject stressing how the best way is to get it without the use of force.

When the time comes that you need to step between a bad guy and the crime he wants to do (or freedom he’s trying to flee to), you basically have two ways to stop him.

1. Use of force.

This is very undesirable, but the bad guy always gets to choose the level of force that’s being used.

If he (or she) chooses to comply with your verbal commands, then no use of force is necessary.

If he chooses to fight without a weapon, another level of force is needed. If he pulls a weapon, again it’s him escalating the level of force needed to protect yourself and others.

Now, while I’ve mentioned force as the first of two ways I’m going to talk about here today, that’s only because I want to end this article spending time on the vastly preferred way to get compliance. And that’s…

2. Make them want to follow your commands. (Using “diplomacy” / verbal skills.)

One way you can do this is by giving the bad guy an “either/or” choice.

In the video I describe a case where I gave him the choice to commit a felony or wait for the police. What I did NOT say was that he really had a lot of choices including to walk away. Or run away. Or to call his friends for back-up!

So in a high stress situation, when his brain was looking for what to do next, I gave him two choices and he picked the smart one.

Maybe if I had been smarter (or more prepared?) I would have given him two choices that BOTH worked to my advantage.

So think this through today. Right now. Plan ahead. If you have a job where you think it’s likely you’ll have to convince someone to do something they don’t want to do… PLAN what you’re going to say to compel them to comply.

Ideally you want them to comply without making a threat.

Exercise for Security Guards:

Here’s your scenario… Skateboarders have shown up on the private property you guard. It’s clearly posted “No Skateboarding” and one of your duties is to enforce the property owner’s no-skateboarding rule.

What is the best thing to say to get VOLUNTARY compliance by the skateboarders?

Let me know in the comments below.

Note: I can’t even imagine a case where you would use force to remove skateboarders. It’s simply not going to happen. This is just an exercise to prepare for a common situation you are likely to encounter.

And you understand I’m not a lawyer and nothing here is legal advice, right?

Committed to your success,
Larry Kaye,
Private Investigator

P.S. – If you like this training, be sure to check out my special report, “If You Want To Be a Private Investigator Give Up… Unless You Do These Three Things”. You can get it on the home page of my blog.

Since, as a private investigator or process server, you may have to locate a homeless man, let me share with you 6 ideas on how to find a homeless person or how to skip trace a homeless person.

NB: Many homeless people are women and children and I would argue they have it much harder than homeless men.

Many homeless people are women and children and may not look like our traditional image of a homeless person.

Types of homeless people…

1. Living indoors, but in a temporary rental room.

Examples include: hotel/motel, “flop houses”, Y.M.C.A.

2. Crashing with a friend.

Someone may consider themselves homeless even if they’ve been living on a friend’s couch for six months!

3. Living with parents.

We may not think of “homeless” this way, but… an adult child may consider himself homeless if he’s living in his mom’s basement.

4. living on the streets.

Finally, what most people think of as “homeless”, the person living on a bus bench, in a park or under an expressway ramp.

Six ways to locate a homeless skip…

1. Start with your databases, just like most other skips.

Honestly, you’re not going to find a current address there, but you will find leads including last known address (LKA) and family members.

2. Don’t forget obituaries.

This is a great place to find the names of family who may be able to help you.

3. Homeless people have habits and routines too!

They have places they prefer to stay, corners they prefer to panhandle, places they like to hang out during the day, shops they frequent (cigarettes, etc.).

4. Use law enforcement sources.

Police reports (suspects and victim – don’t miss that tip!), police runs (check by address!), check with your skip’s parole or probation officer.

EXCLUSIVE BLOG BONUS: Check to see if your skip is a registered sex offender. Because of legal restrictions on where these offenders may live, many find themselves homeless. That means you may find (at least a temporary) address where they are “registered”.

5. Court Records

Check criminal and civil courts! Homeless people get sued too!

6. Get out of your office!

Here are some people you can talk to who may be able to point you in the right direction, even if they don’t know your particular skip…

Cops. The local police will know where all the homeless camps are. And other places the homeless may be staying or hanging out during the day.

Charities. They may be able to share with you similar information.

Other homeless people. Of course, this can be some of the more dangerous interviews you may do – not because the person you’re talking to may hurt you (although they might), but because you may find yourself in some more dangerous and isolated places. Use common sense and be careful!

If you like these helpful tips and sources, then don’t miss out on my free special report If You Want To Be a Private Investigator Give Up… Unless You Do These Three Things. If not, you can get it right here…

Committed to your success,
Larry Kaye, P.I.

We all start at the bottom.

I began my career as a private investigator by working as a security guard!

I moved from K-9 Patrol Security Guard to a plain clothes Loss Prevention job where I began learning investigative skills as I was busting organized retail crime (ORC) rings.

But when I was still new to security and knew essentially nothing about investigations, I came upon my first felony in progress. It was a burglary.

In this week’s video I describe that burglary in progress in detail, but I really want to know about YOUR first felony in progress!

Leave a comment below telling me about it!

Stay Safe,
Larry Kaye, P.I.

If the thing you’re trying to do is easy, someone else would have already done it! So be glad it’s hard!

A few weeks ago I posted an article on how to find where someone works. In our business we say “Place of Employment” and abbreviate it as POE. That’s one of those things that’s a little harder to find, but be glad it is! Otherwise your potential client would have found it on his own and not hired you!

So let’s look at other things a client might ask you for as a P.I. and explore a source for each.

Name Changes

Finding the new name on a woman you’re skip tracing can be tricky, but it’s actually not to hard if you know how.

Let me suggest checking the obituaries. Your skip may have had a parent or grand parent die and, if it happened after her name change, the obit will list both her maiden and married names!

Unlisted Phone Numbers

To find a cell phone number (or any unlisted phone number), try looking at a police report the person filed. Frequently you’ll find their phone number!

Of course there are a TON of ways to find these missing pieces of information, but these simple (and cheap!) methods are a pretty good start. Let them be the beginning of brainstorming other sources.

When I started in this business, I literally had a notebook and kept a page for each type of information (phone number, name changes, address history, etc.). On the page I would place the title (EG. Phone Number) at the top and every time I would find a source to get that info, I would list it on the page.

Over time, I knew these sources by heart and the notebook became unneeded. Honestly, this stuff becomes so second nature it’s no harder than breathing. But, when you’re starting out, feel free to use my “Notebook Method”.

A photo of my original “sources and methods” private investigator notebook.

If you like these helpful tips and sources, then don’t miss out on my free special report If You Want To Be a Private Investigator Give Up… Unless You Do These Three Things. If not, you can get it right here…

Committed to your success,
Larry Kaye, P.I.