The report concludes that it’s becoming easier for anyone to advertise themselves as a private investigator – thanks to the advent of modern communications and cheap surveillance devices – and, while the industry remains unregulated, a number of “serious risks” remain.
The Committee explores the risks of the involvement of private investigators in the justice system and law enforcement and the threat of corruption those links entail.
In turn, the Committee recommends that the Government should set up a robust licensing and registration system “as soon as possible”. Private investigators and their companies should be governed by a new Code of Conduct for Private Investigators. Under this system, a criminal record for breaches of Section 55 should disqualify individuals from operating as private investigators.
The Committee also proposes that dealings between police and investigators should be recorded and that there should be a one year ‘cooling off’ period between serving as a police officer and entering the investigations sector.
While recognising the “honest contribution” made by most private investigators, the report highlights the involvement of some private investigators in an illegal market in personal data and calls again on the Government to strength the penalties for data offences.
There are also calls on the Independent Police Complaints Commission to take direct control over investigations in cases alleging police corruption in relation to private investigators.
Comments from the chairman
Keith Vaz MP, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, said: “Recent high profile events, such as the phone hacking scandal, have thrown light on the sometimes shady world of private investigators. We have found that rogue private investigators are the brokers in a black market in information. They illegally snoop on our data, cash in on our private lives and only get away with a paltry fine.”
Vaz stated: “The public must be assured that those acting as ‘private investigators’ are subject to stringent checks, act under a Code of Conduct and will face tough penalties if they step out of line. It’s also time for the link between private investigators and our police forces to be broken. Officers must be compelled to declare any dealings with private investigators and be subject to a cooling off period before they can move from the police service to the private investigation’s world.”
In conclusion, Vaz stressed: “It’s time this industry was regulated so that the honest majority can get on with their work. We expect the Government to act urgently.”
For its part, the Association of British Investigators (ABI) has welcomed the recommendations set out in the report.
However, the ABI comments: “The Committee’s recommendation follows the ABI’s vision for statutory licensing but falls considerably short of its existing self-regulation regime, which it feels is essential if privileged access to data is to succeed.”
