Why You Need a Referral to Hire a Top Notch Private Investigator in New York and New Jersey

Posted by Pamela S. on Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Frank Sinatra said it best. New York is a city that never sleeps. It is also one of the most challenging cities for a private investigator to work their magic. Across the Hudson River, New Jersey has its own set of issues that make investigations difficult. If you require an investigation in these states, you need to hire the best. Don’t go in blind, obtain a referral from a prestigious private investigation company.

New York is the economic engine that drives the United States. Even if your business is located in another state, the time may come when you need the assistance of a New York area private investigator.

The state of New York has some of the most stringent licensing requirements for private investigators in the United States. To obtain a license, a person must be 25 years of age, have passed an exacting examination, and have three years of experience.

Contrast this with other states, such as Delaware and Ohio, where requirements are less strict.

You need experience to work the streets of New York. In a city where the cab is king, people live in apartment buildings, and walk or take transit, surveillance can be a nightmare.

According to the Census Bureau, New York’s population as of July 2011 was 8,244,910. In Manhattan alone, there are over 1.6 million. Add to that the swell of commuters who push the population up to approximately 3.1 million during week days. Over half the people in New York city don’t own a vehicle. Forty two percent of those people travel the 656 miles of subway lines.

Imagine that your investigator has to follow someone in that chaos of humanity. New Yorkers are a different breed. They are street smart and aren’t going to give up information to just anyone. A New York private investigator has to be able to manage this urban attitude.

Of course not all investigations happen in the Big Apple, there are many other cities where you need to know the layout of the land to be effective. Take Niagara Falls, New York; located on the border of Canada, there is a lot of cross border traffic, making surveillance difficult.

Across the Hudson River, is New Jersey. It is one of the few states that refer to an investigator for

hire as a “private detective”. Licensing requirements are also stringent. Private investigators in the garden state must be at least 25 years of age with five years experience.

New Jersey is ethnically diverse, with over 50 percent of the population under the age of one classified as a minority. It is also the most urban state, and consists mainly of suburban areas. New Jersey has a huge tourist industry attracted by the casinos of Altantic City and beach resorts.

Given all this beautiful madness, finding a private investigator to serve your needs in the north Atlantic region, when you reside in another state, requires the advice of an expert. Neither state has reciprocity agreements; an investigator licensed in New York state cannot work in New Jersey and vice versa. Because it is tough to get a licence, there are individuals who are practicing as unlicensed investigators.

Tom Sheer knows how challenging it is to conduct investigations in the New York and New Jersey areas. Tom founded one of the most successful private investigation agencies in the United States; Sheer Investigations, out of Florida. Prior to going into the public sector, Tom worked for the FBI. As a former head of the FBI’s New York office, Tom has an insider’s knowledge of the city that is unparalleled by many in the business.

The investigative business is a competitive one and an agency’s reputation is on the line when they make a referral.While Sheer Investigations has captured the market in the sunny southern part of the country, we are pleased to assist clients by providing expert guidance on choosing an investigator in New York or New Jersey.

Former FBI Assistant Director Tom Sheer has recruited the best from the FBI, DEA, IRS and Secret Service to build a formidable team at Sheer Investigations. Our private investigators have the sensitivity and experience to handle the most delicate investigations.