A glimpse into the life of a private eye

Perhaps it was an impression created by reading Nancy Drew books as a child or watching Remington Steel reruns, but a career choice as a private investigator seems larger than life.

"People think we're like Magnum P.I., sitting on a beach at a Tiki bar," says Trina Parcey, a senior investigator at King-Reed & Associates Ltd. "They think we're watching someone and following them everywhere."

Steve McCormick, a private investigator and owner of MKD International Inc., agrees the general public tends to misunderstand and undervalue the work of private investigators.

"People think you follow cheating spouses. We've done it on occasion, but it's not the main type of work," says McCormick. "They're not aware we're involved in homicide. We have four former homicide investigators who each have more than 25 years of experience with the Toronto police services."

In reality, the work of private investigators ranges from surveillance, conducting criminal investigations, detecting insurance fraud to a range of other investigative services. The clients are as varied as the work. They include the government, insurance companies, lawyers, private citizens and any person or organization that needs investigative services.

According to Brian King, president of King-Reed & Associates Ltd. and spokesperson for the Council of Private Investigators-Ontario, private eyes spend about 60 per cent of their time in the field and the remaining 40 per cent writing up reports. And if they're doing surveillance, it could mean sitting in a car for 14 hours a day waiting for the person being investigated to do something. Not exactly glamorous ... and not exactly what was portrayed in Charlie's Angels.

With just over 3,000 licensed private investigators in Ontario, the industry is experiencing an increased demand for and a shortage of skilled private investigators. The demand is particularly strong for individuals who can easily blend into different work and social settings. If you speak another language or have acquired skills from another career, you could consider a career as a private investigator.

"It tends to be a second career," says King. He has just hired bankers to work as private investigators because he believes their expertise in the financial sector will be useful in fraud investigations.

However, don't expect your career transition to be welcomed by all private investigators.

"How can a housewife who doesn't know the concepts ... be an investigator?" says McCormick. His firm hires individuals with an elite police background, including those from special investigations bureaus and others who have specialized in homicide.

There is currently no specific training program for private investigators in Ontario. The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services' Private Investigators and Security Guards Branch does require private investigators to be licensed in Ontario - a process that requires applicants to be sponsored by a registered private investigations agency, agree to a criminal record check and complete an application form.

Jon Herberman, director and registrar of the ministry branch says there have been no substantial changes made to the Private Investigators and Securities Guard Act since it was introduced in 1966. He acknowledges that change is needed in the industry and that, based on research conducted last summer, mandatory training for investigators will be required in the future.

Bill Joynt, president of the Investigators Group Inc., became a private investigator 16 years ago without prior experience or training. Joynt says he learned on the job by working with an experienced investigator. He advises individuals wanting to pursue the career to develop a strong detective sense.

"Invest in the proper equipment, study the Criminal Code, learn to communicate effectively, be patient. Learn an extra technique or discipline - i.e. interview techniques, arson investigations, patent and trademark law (or) insurance law."

Parcey, a six-year veteran of the Ontario Provincial Police, adds that private investigators should also have an inquisitive nature, the ability to read people and be a good judge of character.

"It's not like policing where you need to be physically fit," says Parcey. "You don't (necessarily) need to run 1.5 miles in under 10 minutes. You need an intuition ... to search and dig a little deeper. You need to look for the truth."

And looking for the truth is rarely a 9-5 job. Depending on the nature of the case, private investigators can work 18 hours one day and two hours the next.

For Parcey, it's not uncommon to work until 6: 30 in the evening, spend a few hours with her three-year-old daughter and then go back to work for a few more hours.

Depending on the stage an investigator is at in his or her career, the time spent on the job can be financially rewarding.

"It varies with the level," replies King when asked about the compensation for private investigators.

He explains that those with minimal experience only earn about $14- $18/hour, but within a three-year time span these individuals are usually on par with their counterparts in law services and earn in the mid-$50,000 to $60,000 range. King adds that individuals can rise in the ranks fairly quickly and earn between $60,000 to more than $100,000.

"It's like a law firm. It's based on productivity and what you're able to bill the client," he says.

More than the compensation, what motivates private investigators is the variety of what they are exposed to on a daily basis.

"It's unpredictable and challenging," says Parcey. "Not the humdrum of sitting at a desk."

And not the humdrum of having to live vicariously through an old Sherlock Holmes flick.