The Seven-Day Intensive is an immersive, hard-hitting professional development experience for people who want more than a basic introduction to investigative work. Seven full days of focused instruction, realistic demonstrations, guided practice and scenario-based exercises connect classroom principles to the realities of modern private-sector investigations and protective services — with constant emphasis on lawful conduct, safety, judgment, documentation, discretion and professional ethics.
Download the full program (PDF)
Core training areas
- Physical & mobile surveillance — planning, fixed and mobile observation, team communication, subject identification, lawful documentation and situational awareness.
- Electronic surveillance & TSCM — bug detection, covert cameras and microphones, RF awareness, physical inspection methods and documentation.
- Criminal & general investigations — case intake, planning, timelines, evidence awareness, witness development and attorney/law-enforcement liaison.
- Interview & interrogation concepts — rapport, questioning, statement evaluation and lawful, ethical interrogation principles.
- Reports & courtroom testimony — case notes, professional reporting, affidavit fundamentals and preparing to testify with credibility.
- Undercover operations — cover development, operational planning, communication, risk controls and legal boundaries.
- Physical security planning — site surveys, access control, camera concepts and practical protective recommendations.
- Close & executive protection — advance work, formations, arrivals and departures, emergency movement and coordination.
- Practical self-defense — awareness, avoidance, de-escalation, defensive positioning and safe disengagement.
- Supervised firearms training — range safety, handling, fundamentals and supervised practical exercises under applicable law.
- Law, ethics & regulation — the authority and limits of private investigators, privacy, evidence handling and Illinois practice.
A seven-day progression
- Day 1 — Professional foundations: role, authority, ethics, legal limits, case planning, field notes and investigator safety.
- Day 2 — Surveillance operations: fixed and mobile planning, equipment, communications, team exercises and documentation.
- Day 3 — Technical investigations: electronic surveillance, TSCM and bug-detection concepts, covert devices and reporting.
- Day 4 — Criminal case development: interviews, lawful interrogation, evidence awareness, timelines and report writing.
- Day 5 — Undercover & field operations: cover discipline, planning, communication, scenario management and field assignments.
- Day 6 — Protection & defensive skills: physical security, close protection, de-escalation, self-defense and teamwork.
- Day 7 — Firearms & capstone: supervised range fundamentals, integrated scenarios, testimony practice and course evaluation.
Schedule may be adjusted for instructor availability, facility requirements, weather and range access.
Who should attend
Aspiring and working private investigators, security professionals, process servers, loss-prevention and protective-service practitioners, current or former public-safety professionals, and qualified individuals seeking an intensive introduction to modern investigative work. Some portions may be physically demanding, conducted outdoors, or held at a firearms range — participation requirements and reasonable accommodations are discussed before enrollment.
Completion & recognition
Participants who meet the attendance, safety, conduct and course requirements earn a professionally prepared Certificate of Completion, presented at a ceremonial completion dinner. Tuition also covers hotel lodging, meals and beverages, and course materials for the full week — you focus on training, we handle the logistics.
