Surveillance is the art of watching over the activities of a person or groups or person from a higher or discrete position of authority.  Surveillance may be either covert or overt.  The word surveillance is derived from the French meaning "Watching Over".  Although surveillance is a tool often used by law enforcement or security companies.  Many private citizens and business entities have a need for surveillance over their spouses, mates or employees.  In today’s world numerous technological advancements have developed which permit investigators to conduct surveillance by many different methods including:

Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), Global Positioning Systems (GPS) Vehicle Tracking, Video Covert Camera Systems, Computer Surveillance and Electronic Surveillance.

Domestic Surveillance

In domestic situations surveillance is often used as tool to detect infidelity of a spouse or love one.  Surveillance can monitor the behavior, associates, and activity of a person and determine the truthfulness of their reported activity.  Investigators employ many methods including video surveillance, computers surveillance and GPS vehicle tracking to assist in this method of surveillance.

Corporate & Insurance Surveillance

Insurance companies often use surveillance as a method to detect fraud in various types of claims.  Surveillance can monitor the Claimant’s activity and identify any inconsistencies that have been reported to the insurance company or medical providers.   Insurers often use video surveillance as the preferred method of investigation.

Corporations utilize surveillance to monitor the activities of their staff that are entrusted with valuable or confidential information.  Many companies want to protect their clients and maintain their integrity by using to surveillance to verify that their corporate objectives are being maintained. Companies have used all methods of surveillance including CCTV, GPS, &  Video Surveillance

Undercover

In today’s world many records exists electronically resulting in a trail of documentation that may include records pertaining to spending or financial account or telecommunication information.  When this information is obtained and categorized it can identify an individual’s behavior, lifestyle, spending habits, associates, work activities.

Counter surveillance is the practice of avoiding surveillance or making surveillance difficult.  In today’s world counter surveillance involves everything from know how to delete files on your computer to debugging and wire tape monitoring.

At Advantage PI Inc. we have over 20 years of combined investigative experience in all facets of surveillance.  We strive to provide the most reliable information available to our clients who will rely on this information to make informed decisions about their business objectives or personal relationships. 

Types of Custody

Child custody is a term that refers to the  rights and responsibilities that a parent carries with respect to his/her child. Child custody includes numerous legal concepts; some of which overlap and some that are distinct. The term child custody can be further broken down into terms that shed additional insight and provide a greater understanding of the respective parent’s rights and obligations with respect to their common child or children.

Legal Custody - the parent with legal custody can make all decisions regarding the health, welfare and education of the child.

Physical Custody - determines which parent has the actual, physical right to be with the child.

Sole Legal Custody - when one parent is awarded sole legal custody, that parent makes all decisions regarding the health, education and welfare of the child (and the other parent has no input on these decisions)

Sole Physical Custody - when one parent is given sole physical custody, the child remains with him/her and the other parent is excluded from having physical custody of the child (typically when the other parent has abused or neglected the child)

Joint Legal Custody - both parents participate in reaching decisions regarding the health, education and welfare of the child.

Joint Physical Custody - both parents have the ability to be with the child, typically joint physical custody is coupled with a parenting plan to determine who will be with the child at what particular time.

Shared Custody - both parents equally share the legal and physical custody of the child. Typically found only where both parents are able to resolve their personal differences and keep them in check for the sake of raising the child in a caring, nurturing environment.

Surveillance is often used in child custody cases to document and monitor either parents contact with their children.  As private investigators we can provide our clients with useful information related to time spent with children, the use of child safety seats while driving with the custodial parent/guardian, monitoring possible alcohol or illicit substance abuse by the custodial parent or caregiver during visitation or primary care.

Advantage PI has a great deal of expertise in this area of law.  We have the necessary equipment and experience to provide our clients with the quality of information needed to make informed decisions that are in the best interest of the children.