“Growing demand for private investigation and related security services across the country has spurred greater professionalization within the industry.” –Taras Hryb, President of the Private Investigator Association of British Columbia (PIABC)

There are numerous incentives for investigators to join their professional associations, such as the PIABC. Members are able to participate in networking events, support professionalism and ethics in the industry, and benefit from professional development opportunities.

Members are also able to prepare for the changes coming in best practices in the industry, such as by attending the upcoming PIABC Annual General Meeting and Conference. This is where professionals of the future in British Columbia will likely be.

The event is being held at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria October 25 and 26, 2013.

Attendees will learn about what direction the investigation profession is headed, and how to take advantage of changes in the industry. They will understand that the professional investigator of the future:

1. Understands current privacy legislation, and stays abreast of upcoming privacy changes, and how this will influence how they use surveillance.
2. Keeps up-to-date with privacy management requirements and auditing compliance.
3. Early adopters of new management measures so they have an advantage when looking for contracts in both the public and private sectors.
4. Understands the legal importance of being licensed as it relates to liability, presenting in court, acting as agent of the state and pretexting.
5. Understands and stays current with advances in technology such as video equipment.
6. Able to skillfully use social media to promote their business. They understand that current and potential clients actively use social media, and that knowledge of this power tool can put them in an advantageous position.
7. Able to leverage social media to effectively gather online intelligence.

Here is a selection of the impressive roster of speakers as well as a highlight of their accomplishments:

Elizabeth Denham, Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia

– Led investigations into a number of high-profile privacy breaches, such as the illegal release of personal information of almost five million British Columbians by Health Ministry staff.
– Co-authored “Getting Accountability Right through Privacy Management Program.” The document attracted international interest for its innovative and practical approach to privacy management in the private sector.
– Conducted investigations into the privacy practices of Facebook resulting in the social network adding important new privacy safeguards as well as other significant changes to their privacy policies and practices.

David McKay, President of Blackstone Forensics and Instructor & Program Coordinator, Forensic Science for the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

– Enhanced, and analyzed more than 2,000 crimes captured on a variety of video and image recording systems.
– Interviewed on the Discovery Channel’s “Daily Planet” about the usefulness of a recovered memory card that was swallowed by a hang gliding pilot after his tandem passenger fell to her death.
– Offered his expertise on numerous high profile cases, including in the Braidwood Inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski where he served as an expert forensic video consultant to the legal counsel representing the Polish Government.

Jonathan Christian, Principal Consultant, Social Media Trainer, Speaker and Facilitator at We Make Stuff Happen

– Founded the Social Media Challenge Blog and Meetup.
– Nominated for the BCAMA Marketer of the Year.
– Speaker for the Canadian Association of Private Investigators, Churchworks, British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, RE/MAX, MomIncMovement, BNI groups, Transforming Speakers, and numerous other organizations.

Additional speakers will include Fraser Marshall, Registrar of Security Programs and Michael Hewitt, Legal Partner at Singleton Urquhart.

Mr. Marshall will be presenting on licensing issues and will be part of a panel discussion on the input received by the Ministry of Justice on the BC Policing and Community Safety Plan.

Mr. Hewitt will be speaking about the legal implications of using unlicensed investigators on liability, and will be addressing issues related to acting as agent of the state and pretexting.

Private Investigation in 2113

We have an idea of what future investigators will look like over the next several years, but how will they be competitive in the long term? A recent blog post addresses what the job of a private investigator could look like 100 years from now.

The article highlights the importance of private investigators’ technical abilities as intelligence becomes increasingly available to the masses; and the role that a futuristic version of the Internet and unmanned aerial or vehicle drones could play in investigations. The growing need for counter-intelligence and executive protection is also explored.

Photo Source: Flickr