About VAISS
The object of this organization is to advance the professional interests and promote the individual and collective welfare of its members, through education, social interaction, association and cooperation, so that we may be better prepared to carry out those duties prescribed for our profession.
VAISS members meet regularly for trainings on topics like computer forensics, social media, ethics, witness interviews, evidence gathering, and surveillance.
We work together to advocate for PIs throughout Vermont on issues that affect our profession, such as access to public records and fair pay for public defender work.
Want to join VAISS? It’s a great way to network with PIs, get the latest tech and trainings, and swap tricks of the trade. Join us! Download a membership application here.
WHAT IS A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR?
A Private Investigator is a highly skilled professional who gathers information and verifies facts through research, interviewing, canvassing, records collection/analysis, evidence collection and observation.
Many who choose the Private Investigator field have a background in law enforcement, government investigation or intelligence, the insurance industry, investigative journalism, or the military. More and more are entering the field with a Bachelors degree in Criminal Justice.
Some think that a Private Investigator only conducts matrimonial infidelity investigations, however, this is only a small percentage of what Private Investigators actually do. Private investigators perform an extremely wide range of investigative services. The following is a list of various specialties/types of investigations that a Professional Investigator conducts:
Accident Reconstruction
Alimony Reduction
Arson
Asset Search
Background Checks
Bounty Hunter
Celebrity Protection
Child Abuse
Child Recovery
Child Support / Custody
Child Visitation
Civil Investigations
Competitive Intelligence
Computer Forensics
Corporate Investigations
Crime Scene Investigator
Criminal Defense Investigations
Criminal Investigations
Cyber Investigations
Divorce
Domestic
Due Diligence
Electronic Data Discovery
Executive Protection
Forensic
Fraud
General Investigations
Homicide Investigations
Identity Theft
Infidelity
Insurance Investigations
Internet Profiling
Judgment Recovery
Liability Investigations
Loss Prevention
Missing Persons
Mitigation Investigation
Polygraph
Pre-Employment Screening
Premarital
Process Service
Repossession
Subpoenas
Surveillance
Trial Preparation
Workers Compensation
Wrongful Death
Private Investigators often work for law firms or subcontract with public defenders offices where they assist in building legal cases by locating witnesses, serving legal documents and gathering evidence. Private investigators also work for private individuals. A corporate private investigator performs internal or external investigations, some related to drug use, theft, or misconduct. A financial private investigator may also be a certified public accountant and might assist in investigative services related to large financial dealings. Store private investigators protect a business from theft, both externally and internally. Private investigators may also work for insurance companies to investigate fraudulent claims.