Wisconsin Investigative Services

I knew several Private Investigators when I was a police officer. For the most part they were a good group of guys (at the time women were the smallest of minorities), but spent most of their time serving summons and complaints rather than conducting investigations. Why I don’t know. They weren’t complaining and at the time it wasn‘t something that kept me awake at night.

But now that I’ve retired and become a Private Investigator I find it curious how the cycle has come full turn. I’m faced with the same predicament as that group of guys.

I’ve given it a lot of thought to why and I think I’ve come up with a reasonable explanation, though its not one I agree with at all. There is a stigma to the business and it’s been inherent since Hollywood decided to make movies about PIs.

Bob Sassone did a blog about famous television PIs and if I were to choose my favorite silver screen heroes, it would have to be Tom Selleck’s Magnum PI and Robert Urich’s Spencer. Whoever dreamed them up must have been a cop or closely tied to law enforcement. Their personalities and loose connection to law enforcement is as close as you can get to the real world without stepping in it.

There are others like Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher (I always like how she managed to wrap up everything after the last commercial), Edward Woodward’s The Equalizer and of course Jeremy Betts Sherlock Holmes who were just as entertaining but not nearly as realistic. Hollywood went a bit over the top trying to outdo reality.

But if Hollywood went overboard with the latter, then they went crazy with Stacy Keach’s Mike Hammer. Seedy, often drunk and willing to break any rule to get what he wanted, this rule-breaking oddball PI is not who we are though his persona has become the most widely accepted view of our industry.

I have no proof to support this contention, but it seems clear more than just a few holds this perception. I have seen the quickly veiled grimaces, the eye rolls and innocent innuendos whenever I introduced myself as a PI. I chuckle like everyone else and give him or her the old, wink-wink-that-was-a good-joke smile when someone asks if its fun playing Mike Hammer. Then out of defense more than anything I tell them I’m a retired police officer who enjoys the work, hoping they‘ll get the hint.

For me, there’s not much difference between being a cop and being a PI. One is pretty much the same as the other when it comes to investigations. Education being equal, the only real difference is one has the authority of law and even that doesn’t tilt the outcome in favor of one over the other. It’s the experience and dedication of the person doing the investigations who will make the difference, and not how much you can drink, carouse, or thump someone’s noggin, ala Mikey boy.

So, what do you think? I’d like to hear your opinions. Do you perceive PIs as mini Mike Hammers who slink around dark alleys looking for criminals to jump out of the shadows or something more professional like Magnum, Spencer and retired cops?

Looking forward to your comments,

Rick