Being a PI in Florida is a little bit intimidating as you must have an internship sponsored by a licensed investigator first before you sit for the exam. If you would like to find out what the requirements are for being a private investigator in Florida you will need to check on the Florida Department of Agriculture website. https://www.fdacs.gov/Business-Services/Private-Investigation-Licenses Each state has their own licensing requirements and agencies that regulate them. “The private investigative industry is regulated to ensure the interests of the public are adequately served and protected.” Each should have information available online that you can read and/or download.
According to the Florida website you can qualify as a private investigator in the following ways:
An applicant for the Class “C” Private Investigator License must have TWO YEARS OF LAWFULLY GAINED, VERIFIABLE, FULL-TIME EXPERIENCE in order to qualify for the license. This experience can be acquired through a combination of actual investigative experience, college coursework in a related field, or internship in accordance with the following three categories set forth in the statute:
(a) Private investigative work or related fields of work that provided equivalent experience or training.
(b) College coursework related to criminal justice, criminology, or law enforcement administration, or successful completion of any law enforcement-related training received from any federal, state, county, or municipal agency, except that no more than 1 year may be used for this category.
(c) Work as a Class “CC” licensed intern. This internship is done at a licensed private investigative agency.
Some states require more and others will require less. And whether you want to work at an agency or start out on your own you really will need a little bit of training and experience. Once you get that experience just think of all the stories you can write.
You can also join the Florida Private Investigator’s Association for access to great resources, networking opportunities, and possible future referrals. http://www.fali.org/ “Since 1994, our purpose has remained the same; to protect and advance the Florida investigative profession. Today our profession is faced with multiple threats that require both the vigilance and strength that FALI has established in our state capital.”
There is the Florida Association of Private Investigators: http://www.myfapi.org/ “The Florida Association of Private Investigators, Inc. is a professional organization created to provide a voice for licensed private investigators and related professionals within the State of Florida and throughout the United States.” I am not sure what the difference is between the two but they are listed as the top two on the Google search engine.
There are classes held all around the state. Most of them are located in the south Florida area but one company offers a 40-hour course coming in November 2021 and charges $450. This should satisfy the state’s requirements of Professional Training. Then you will need to intern with a licensed investigator for a period of time before sitting for the exam. Most of these charge a fee or require you to work for them as an intern. Classes are available at Florida State College as well.
I don’t think there are a lot of women, private investigators, in Florida and we could use more. If you are a female PI and would like to contribute articles on how you investigate, what you investigate, and how you became one we would love to feature you in an article on our website! You can type your comments below or use our CONTACT US form to share your information.
https://bookstore.jolenesbooksandmore.com/product/im-not-a-joneser-im-a-booming-xer-3-4-sleeve-raglan-shirt/
