Field Investigator Responsibilities

Field investigators are involved in performing research and surveillance at the individual level or for an organization / law enforcement agency. Their main responsibility is to investigate the case throughly, observe the given situation / circumstances properly, and investigate the nature of happenings for the client. Field investigators are also referred to as private investigators in many cases.

Key Responsibilities of a Field Investigator

Field investigator responsibilities include conducting investigations on field for gathering the information about a person, place, or situation. They work as a part of the investigating team and are involved in gathering valuable information from a crime / fraud scene, and investigate the situation / circumstances for gathering proofs, witnesses, and other references that bring forward the truth behind certain events. Field investigators basically work for the insurance company, law enforcement agency, national security agency, or private organizations dealing with claims, etc., which require a thorough background check of the person / event.

The key responsibilities of a field investigator comprise:

Conducting field investigation on appointed cases, making recommendations on additional field tasks involved while conducting the investigation, and assigning additional staff for carrying out the investigations in after-hour time periods
Investigating about the situation regarding the complex claims and events involving fatal accidents, occupational accidents on site, disease related mishap, catastrophic injuries, etc., occurring on site, and preparing the investigation report based on the findings
Collaborating with customers, claimants, policyholders, etc., for investigating the scene in an unbiased nature, communicating with other witnesses and physicians for confirming the exact cause of the situation, etc.
Recording the interviews, carrying out detailed surveillance of the workplace for evidence, conducting activities checks, etc., for unveiling the truth about the incident
Investigating with third party witnesses, security in charge for investigating fraud reports, false premises, fake arrests, etc., coordinating with investigation experts for locating potential fraud action by involving the third party in investigation, and reconstructing the events / accidental happenings for obtaining the detailed analysis of the situation
Collaborating with the local administration and communicating with the Field Investigation Program for monitoring the investigation process as per the guidelines
Reviewing the investigation project thoroughly for detecting the possible loopholes, reporting the results to the authorized person, and marketing the program to the existing and prospective customers
Combining the reports from physical evidence analysis, circumstances studies, studying the behavior of suspected convicts, and forensic analysis for drawing exact conclusion about the crime / incident
Solving cases of varied fields like murder assessment, insurance claims' issues, security threats, character assessment, background check, animal cruelty accusations, etc., making necessary recommendations about the nature of crime / suspect to the senior investigating authorities and providing the investigation reports and evidences in an unbiased way

For carrying out the exact investigation procedure, one has to visit the location of incident / crime scene equipped with camera, notepad, and other equipment which may prove useful in gathering information and interact with the local residents, general public, etc., for locating the witnesses. After getting relevant information on the nature of the suspect, one has to obtain all the information which proves the convict guilty and report the same to higher authorities before closing the investigation.

Required Qualifications and Skills

The basic qualification required to be eligible to make a career in this field is field investigating training after completing graduation. A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, forensic science, or other related field is recommended if you prefer to start a career in this field. Educational qualification is not the prime requirement for starting a career in this field, though one is required to be trained in field investigating profile before one is hired. Many employers require the candidate to have the relevant experience in field investigation before hiring the prospective candidates. Responsibilities of a field investigator differs depending upon the work sector he is hired in, but the selection criteria remains the same. Basically, the candidate possessing previous experience in the particular field is preferred for this position.

Apart from the educational qualification and work experience, certain skills are also required for being a successful field investigator. For carrying out the responsibilities effectively, one has to possess excellent oral, written, and verbal communication skills, as he has to communicate extensively with the clients, witnesses, employees, and other public for investigation purpose. Along with this, one also has to show strong analytical skills and critical thinking ability for settling / denying the investigating cases accordingly.

Working Condition

A field investigating officer has to be physically fit and active as he has to travel to various locations. Along with this, he must also have the relevant area of expertise regarding the work profile he is hired. He must also be willing to travel extensively for crime scene inspection and must be willing to work at irregular hours as required. Also, while investigating a nasty case of crime, there is a possibility of life risk if the convict plans to attack the field investigator out of insecurity. Though such cases are very rare for this profile and happens only while investigating the core crime cases, the field investigator must be prepared for saving his and other's life in danger.

The job profile of a field officer is quite demanding, and it requires one to show lots of courage while carrying out the investigation. If you think you have the necessary skills, experience, and aptitude for this field, field investigation can turn out to be the best career option for you.