The role of a non-police investigator is vast, complex and largely unknown by the general public. Perceptions are formed by fictional investigators like those found in the popular media or legendary fictional characters such as Sherlock Holmes.
The Alberta Security Services and Investigators Act defines an investigator as any person who undertakes to do the following for remuneration: investigate, conduct surveillance activities, or seek or obtain information about
crimes, offences, contraventions of enactments or misconduct or allegations of same,
the cause of an accident, incident, property damage, personal injury or damage to premises,
the activity, conduct, character or repute of a person,
the location of property, or
the whereabouts of a person
As in many jurisdictions, any person performing such services in Alberta must be properly licensed. Investigators make inquiries, collect information and make reports for such groups as:
private individuals
lawyers and law firms
insurance companies
corporations
government
professional associations and regulatory bodies
out of province and out of country investigators.
Using techniques such as surveillance, targeted interviews and collection of open source intelligence, investigators may become involved in cases that involve private family matters, allegations of insurance or other financial fraud, locating stolen property or financial assets, searching for missing persons, investigating allegations of harassment, discrimination or human rights violations in the workplace, and investigating incidents of internal theft of property, data or other assets.
Investigators may work for a professional association inquiring into allegations of professional misconduct; for insurance companies looking into possibly fraudulent claims; or for professional investigation firms that offer both general and specialized services. Regardless, investigations can be an interesting, varied and rewarding career.
The first step toward working as a licenced investigator is to attend and complete an Alberta Government approved Investigators Course. Our training is conducted over 60 hours, with the provincial examination also offered. Your hands-on training will cover the following subjects:
Introduction to the Investigation Industry
Professionalism and Ethics
Health and Safety
Law and the Canadian Legal System
Use of Force
Investigations
Communications and Report Writing
Specialized Investigations
Business of Investigations ...and much more.
Presented by instructors with decades of experience in law enforcement and investigations, this classroom based course is a solid preparation for an exciting new career.
(Group discounts available)