Private Investigation in the United Kingdom.
The main difference between Private Investigation within the United Kingdom and Australia can quite simply be put as 'Legislation'. In Australia a private investigator requires a licence while currently in the UK he/she doesn't.
The system of law and law enforcement within Australia is based on the Westminster system; which in laymans terms means that Australia generally mirrors the UK in regard to how the courts work both at Magistrates and Crown Courts.
Investigation is investigation wherever it is practiced. All the same requirements apply, such as, factual evidence, continuity of evidence or the evidence chain. Hearsay, circumstantial or best evidence all mean the same wherever you practice your trade and in order for your evidence to be accepted in Courts or Tribunals it must conform to the basic principles. We at the academy teach you those principles.
Currently within the United Kingdom, there is no requirement for a private investigator to be in possession of a licence to trade or to even prove qualifications. This means in effect that anyone can be a private investigator and at present there is no control over the activities or behaviour of rogue investigators, cowboys or other fly by night operators other than current legislation covering areas such as the Data Protection Act, Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act etc. There is no regulation or monitoring of individuals or agencies currently providing investigation services.
The Government is addressing this situation and it will soon be mandatory for private investigators within the United Kingdom to be in possession of a licence to practice. We will keep you informed of any developments in this regard. The body empowered by the Government to oversee and regulate the security industry, which includes private investigation is the Security Industry Authority (SIA) and they will be empowered under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.
The SIA have issued a partial regulatory assessment and on studying that we have identified the core requirements in accordance with their findings as:
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Private Investigators.
- Conduct investigations.
- Conduct interviews.
- Search for information and preserve evidence.
- Conduct surveillance.
- Understanding and working to relevant laws and standards.
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Precognition agents:
- Conduct investigations.
- Conduct interviews.
- Understanding and working to relevant laws and standards.
It can be seen therefore that private investigators will be able to conduct the activities of a precognition agent but not the other way round.
Precognition agents are used mainly in Scotland by defence solicitors testing the prosecution evidence. Within the rest of the U.K. with the introduction of Advanced disclosure and unused material regulations, there is little need for the services of a precognition agent.
In light of this and until full requirements are known we currently offer distance learning within the UK for Certificate III in Investigative Services. This course we believe adequately fulfils the competency criteria as suggested by the SIA. This course has also been assessed by:
UK NARIC - the National Agency responsible for providing information and expert opinion on vocational, academic and professional skills and qualifications from over 180 countries worldwide.
As being equivalent to NVQ levels 2 - 3 and City and Guilds levels 2 - 3.
We also believe that the course content fulfills the requirements as outlined in the National Occupational Standards.
Successful completion of this course will provide students with all the necessary requirements to be an effective private investigator.
The course is a nationally approved course that qualifies successful students within Australia to acquire a private investigators licence.
Course Cost.
Until the SIA determine and publish the legal requirements for licencing we are offering the course at the current Australian price of $(A)1595. This equates to approximately 680 pounds sterling. We are offering the course at this price without including VAT because currently within Australia there is no tax on training. (Within Australia this is called GST). We advise you to take advantage of this current price because when the SIA finally make their decision, achieving competency through training will become a requirement, courses will need to be accredited and this will incur additional costings for the various accrediting bodies and which will also include VAT.
Should you wish to take advantage of any of our other courses these also are offered at the current Australian prices.
For further information on the course or any of the other courses available use the More Information button at the bottom of the page.
The courses are run on line and by attendance at seminars and, on successful completion result in a Certificate of Competence which fully complies with current SIA best practice recommendations, and the National Occupational Standards in Investigation which can be seen on the UK Standards website at www.ukstandards.org
Police officers and others with investigation experience in their chosen fields can obtain their certification through RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
