THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS ACADEMY

OF THE ROCKIES

It's the premier school in Colorado for prospective and new investigators... with classes taught by some of the best investigative minds in Colorado... a chance to learn the techniques, tips, tricks, even secrets that help define the very meaning of the term, "Private Investigator."

Rick Johnson, Founder and President of the Academy, is a former investigator for the Denver and Jefferson County District Attorneys' Offices, who has committed every bit of his 35 years of experience in law enforcement and in private practice to the Academy.

"This is the no-nonsense, tell it like it is class for those who are serious about the profession," says Rick. "In a state like Colorado, where PI's are not licensed or otherwise regulated, it's critically important for interest in our profession to be translated into a full understanding of the tactics and techniques... the principals and ethics that every PI must achieve. Excellence is not just a goal. It's a requirement!"

Over three weeks, you'll be introduced to domestic surveillance, family law investigations, how to get at and retrieve hidden financial assets, the art and tactics of process serving, how to find and use public records, the art of the interview, how to deal with clients, even how to set up an office... and so much more.

A Certificate of Completion will be presented at the end of the course.

If you ever thought about joining the ranks of one of the most dynamic and rewarding professions, this is your chance to truly explore that possibility.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

This is a strong introductory course for those who are committed to careers as private investigators in Colorado, for active investigators who want to renew and hone their skills, and for those who, if not yet committed, have a burning interest in learning more.

For someone considering entering the field, the course focuses in detail on the important basics... how to set up and operate a business... how to prepare reports... client relations... marketing... and, most importantly, it provides detailed insights into key investigative areas, such as domestic surveillance, background investigations, skip tracing, service of process, financial investigations, and much more.

For someone already active as an investigator, the Academy offers a chance to hone existing skills, learned new skills, and to interact with some of the best known experts in the field.

For someone not yet committed, this is the definitive course that will leave you with no doubt about what "PI" really means.

 

MEET THE FACULTY

Rick Johnson | Rick Johnson & Associates Teaching/Moderating Each Session

Rick Johnson established his private investigative firm, Rick Johnson & Associates of Colorado, Inc., in 1987, following eight years with the complex crimes units of the Denver County and Jefferson County District Attorneys Office.

Well known and respected for his work in the areas of public corruption, litigation support, insurance fraud, sexual harassment, police misconduct, and domestic relations matters, including child custody, Rick has earned a reputation for speedy, accurate, through, and discreet investigations among major law firms, governmental agencies, business and commercial clients, and individuals in Colorado and around the nation.

Rick is the only private investigator ever hired by the City of Denver to investigate allegations of election fraud, and he is the investigator who was hired by the Arapahoe Board of County Commissioners to investigate allegations of misconduct by County Clerk Tracy Baker. Rick was the investigator hired by the City of Aurora to conduct pre-employment screening of police chief and fire chief candidates, and he was hired to conduct investigations into allegations of police chief misconduct by Central City, Breckenridge, Fort Lupton and Fowler.

Rick is a past President of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (www.ppiac.org). The Association is dedicated to continuing education and performance to the highest standards.

Rick will present both the opening session and the closing session of the course. His broad and wide-ranging presentation will include how to set up a PI business, where and how to find clients, domestic relations investigations, surveillance, public corruption investigations, insurance defense, and interview techniques that produce good and useful results.

Rick knows the difference between a great investigator and a merely adequate investigator. After this course, you'll know it, too.

Jennifer Brown | J. Brown Legal Investigations

Jennifer Brown is a Certified Legal Investigator with a law degree. Jenn's class will explore skills and strategies related to criminal defense investigations. She focuses on determining if the evidence in a criminal case was obtained legally, and whether the evidence supports a guilty verdict beyond a reasonable doubt. Jenn will offer tips on how to pursue a rewarding and exciting career as a criminal defense investigator.

Joe Dickerson | Dickerson Financial Investigations

Joe Dickerson, CCP, DFE, CFI, is a nationally recognized fraud investigator, who specializes in locating hidden or diverted assets to satisfy judgments and related work. His success rate in finding wayward debtors is in excess of 96 percent. Since 1965 he has provided investigative and fraud-related training services to a broad range of clients, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Joe was instrumental in the recovery of $42-million embezzled from one of his clients. His investigation lasted 18 months. A new York law firm previously had spent four years on the case without recovering a penny.

Joe is the founder and president of the National Association of Certified Investigators and he has written extensively on analyzing financial transactions with regard to organized crime, civil fraud, asset recovery, and locating undisclosed financial interests.

Joe's class will take students into the seemingly mysterious world of financial discovery and recovery, where the only defense against the loss of millions of dollars is a skilled and talented investigator with a nose for all of the hiding places and the means to find them.

David Cottrell | Attorney Support Services

Dave is a Denver native who grew up in the Sloan Lake area of North Denver. He graduated from Colorado State College (UNC in Greeley) with a degree in Physics and Mathematics. Dave established his firm, Attorney Support Services, in December 1994. He is an acknowledged expert in the art and science of service of process.

Dave's presentation also will focus on skip tracing, a frequent requirement for successful service of process... where to look, what to look for, how to use that information to locate someone, and how to then plan for and perform the service.

Dave has been a member of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (www.ppiac.org) since 1995. He is a member of the Board and has served as treasurer since 1998. He is the webmaster for the PPIAC Web Site.

Dave brings a unique and effective perspective to process serving, which is a key function of civil law, and which often depends on tactics and techniques that even many long-standing professional investigators have never mastered.

For new and prospective investigators, service of process is an obvious access point... a way to be introduced to attorney clients, who then may require additional investigative work.

 

FALL 2010 COURSE CONTENTS

Welcome

• Meet RICK JOHNSON
• Homework Assignments

Presentations by RICK JOHNSON

1. Starting and Running Your PI Business
2. Public Records
3. Family Law Investigations
4. General Surveillance
5. Report Writing
6. The Successful Interview
7. On the Witness Stand
8. Public Corruption
9. Insurance Defense Investigations
10. Legal Support Investigations
11. Business Investigations
12. Inquiries for Services

Guest Presentations

• JENNIFER BROWN: Criminal Defense Investigations
• JOE DICKERSON: Financial Investigations
• DAVID COTTRELL: Service of Process and Locating People for Service