by Roxanna Kay

Created on: September 30, 2009   Last Updated: October 01, 2009

SURVEILLANCE...

Minutes turn to hours as you're slouched in the driver's seat of the surveillance car, eyes never veering away from your target's front door. Occupying the passenger's seat are binoculars, cell phone, cameras (still and video), notepad and pens, 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol, handcuffs and cigarettes.

It's five o'clock in the morning and you are set-up on surveillance. The early hour is used for cover as you get into position. Neighbors can be a nuisance with their nosiness.

A light turns on inside your target's house, you log the time and position of the light's occurrence. A car pulls in the driveway; you log the time, description, tag number and number of passengers. Grab your camera quick! Snap a shot of the car parked in the driveway just in case someone tries to deny its existence. The photo will have the time stamped on it for proof to backup your report for court. The smallest piece of evidence can end up being the most important.

BRIEF FYI...

A good investigator can always back up what they say - especially in court. The opposing attorney will try to say, you wrote the tag number down wrong, or you are off on your times that an incident took place, whatever cockamamie story they come up with to try and discredit you. You can smile sweetly and say, "I might have a picture here let me check, oh yes, yes, I do...would you like to see it?" Shut him right up!

BACK TO SURVEILLANCE...

When the car leaves you log the time and how many passengers left. High hopes of your target going "on the move" at any moment keeps you from dozing off.

You have an urge to pee but know as soon as you do...that's when your target will be "on the move". Rule of thumb - wait at least one hour before you take that break. When you have to pee so bad it hurts to move, your target will emerge out the front door, oh wait, they went back inside. False alarm, maybe you will get to pee after all. Oh wait, here they come again, they just forgot something. Your target is "on the move"! You snap a picture for verification and CYA (cover you're a*) purposes, and log their departure time.

Now the adrenaline kicks in as you tail your target through bumper to bumper traffic. You forgot you had to pee, or you peed your pants and just haven't realized it yet. Either way, it doesn't matter because you have the target on video walking around and carrying grocery bags. Per the doctor's report the target is supposedly bed bound from an injury on the job - due to collect a half million

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