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Surveillance
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Make no mistake about it. When it comes to surveillance, Safe Harbor Investigations is the best in the business. Many other agencies charge an inflated
price for surveillance beyond their normal hourly rate. Some will not even take your case unless you agree to pay double - a minimum of two investigators
to follow the subject. At Safe Harbor Investigations, we believe
that your investigator should be skilled enough to work alone under
most circumstances.
Surveillance is used to monitor the activities of people. The most common uses are determining if a disability (workers comp) claim is valid or if a spouse is having an illicit affair. It is sometimes used to monitor the care of children or to determine if employees are acting in an appropriate manner.
We blend into areas where we need to be stationary and we covertly follow our subject when necessary. We are careful not to arouse undue suspicion during the surveillance and we document all activities using date and time stamped video.
Although we follow and video tape our subject's activities, we take steps to constantly evaluate whether the
subject is getting suspicious. Our primary goal is to protect the covert (secret) nature of the investigation
and to keep the subject unaware that anyone is watching.
You are hiring a professional to do
a professional job. Safe Harbor
Investigations guarantees you are
getting a professional and we stand
behind that guarantee. At every step of the way you are kept
informed on the progress of your investigation and you can cancel
at anytime. If you are not completely satisfied with the video
evidence, the detailed report, and the professionalism of your
investigator, we will do whatever it takes to correct the situation. |
Overt vs Covert Surveillance
Overt surveillance is surveillance conducted in the open with the intent
of being seen. This is most commonly used with guard and patrol services that perform surveillance on buildings, parking lots,
businesses, and residential areas with the objective of keeping intruders out of the area. Covert surveillance is conducted
in secret and is intended to be invisible to the person or persons under observation. Covert surveillance is most commonly
used when a cheating spouse is under scrutiny or when dishonest employees are being watched for theft or other
inappropriate activities. As a licensed security agency, Safe Harbor
Investigations is equipped and experienced at overt surveillance, and as a licensed private detective agency, Safe Harbor
Investigations is equipped and experienced at covert surveillance as well.
Stationary vs Mobile Surveillance
Stationary surveillance is conducted when the investigator or guard
remains in a single location for extended periods. This may be in front of a bank door, behind tinted windows of a vehicle,
or even hidden in the bushes. Mobile surveillance is conducted on foot, on public transportation, or in other vehicles.
Most surveillances are a combination of stationary and mobile; the investigator may remain in one place while a subject
visits a residence, sits at home, or goes to a motel. But when the subject leaves, the investigator must follow using the
same mode of transportation as the subject. Safe Harbor Investigators can blend into any environment and quickly
transition from stationary to mobile surveillance, and vice-versa.
Close vs Loose Surveillance
Close surveillance is used when the subject's activities must be recorded
during every moment of the surveillance period. Loose surveillance is more covert (being more difficult to detect) and is used
when the subject does not require constant monitoring. For example, if it is necessary to find out who visits the subject at their
home, then close surveillance is required with an agent sitting in sight of their driveway and door. If it is only necessary to find
out who the subject visits, then the agent can maintain a loose surveillance by watching the end of their street or the exit from their subdivision. Close
surveillance is required if the subject enters a crowded area or a building with multiple exits; loose surveillance can be used on country roads
and isolated areas. A variation of loose surveillance is called "activity checks" where a subject is checked at specific intervals or predetermined times.
These activity checks are used to begin to determine a subject's patterns without having to dedicate an investigator for hours on end.
Counter Surveillance
Counter surveillance is the art of performing surveillance on those who are performing surveillance
themselves. For example,
if your spouse hires investigators to watch you, you may become aware that someone is following you around and videotaping your activities. You could
then hire your own investigators to identify the people watching you and to determine who hired them.
Counter surveillance is also used in cases where
someone may be stalking another person. Stalkers attempt to follow and determine the patterns and activities of their targets.
Counter surveillance can be
used to determine who is responsible for the stalking without alerting the stalker or causing the stalker to withdraw. If the stalker withdrew, it would make
it impossible to identify and neutralize their threat.
Counter surveillance is an extremely difficult surveillance operation. Not only is the investigator
attempting to perform surveillance on someone that may be proficient in surveillance techniques themselves, but they must do it without being
detected during times when that person is performing surveillance and is, therefore, actively monitoring their surroundings.
Surveillance Equipment
Surveillance loses its value if the activities of the subject are not recorded
properly. Yes, the investigator can act as an expert witness and provide their notes related to what the subject did and
did not do, but it is far better to capture the subject's actions on film. Safe Harbor Investigations has the equipment to bring
back the
evidence whether the surveillance is in bright daylight or pitch black night. We use the right equipment and the right vehicles
to meet the requirements of the task at hand.
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