Old movies and detective shows make the life of a private eye seem mysterious and glamorous.
Picture this: a man smoking a cigar, his feet propped up on a paper-strewn desk in a detective’s office. Into the office walks a beautiful woman, sobbing. She begins to tell the detective her heartwrenching story of betrayal. But in this day and age, the picture is far different from the image of that smoke-filled office. For one, the woman in today’s scenario likely has the role of the detective, not the helpless victim.
Marianne Riggle will tell you that a real-life private investigator generally isn’t kicked back in a leather office chair. In fact, Riggle spends most of her time on the road.
“The hours are crazy. Sometimes I don’t know until the day before that I’m going out of town for a week,” she says.
Some private detectives find themselves working for businesses, lawyers, insurance companies or celebrities. Riggle frequently is called out of town to investigate worker compensation claims. She has worked at a claim investigation company, Base International Service, located in Pennsylvania, for the past two years.
Riggle’s investigations usually entail videotape surveillances. She does this surveillance from a car any time of the night or day, in all kinds of weather. This work takes a special kind of person, one with dedication.
“Not everybody would want to sit in the freezing cold or blasting heat for eight hours a day,” she says.
Though Riggle has spent numerous hours surveying suspects, it is only one part of her job. She is also responsible for reading files and gathering background information, as well as writing daily reports.
Private detective work requires a willingness to be called away at a moment’s notice and to work into the wee hours of mornings and weekends. But for Riggle, the variety of work makes up for any inconveniences.
“It’s different every day,” she says. “You get to go somewhere different and do something different.”
Riggle also enjoys the people with whom she works. On occasion, Riggle goes on surveillance with a fellow investigator. The company is greatly appreciated; it’s easy to get bored when you’re sitting alone in a car, waiting for something to happen.
Riggle’s interest in the private-eye profession began as child’s play when she imagined herself a gumshoe. She also enjoyed reading crime novels. This interest followed her in and out of high school, at which point she decided to attend Edinboro University to study criminal justice. Riggle discovered that her classes were as varied as the investigative work she would eventually be doing, from arson detection to criminal law procedure.
After being hired by Base International Service, Riggle went through a two-week training period with a senior investigator. However, Riggle feels that some of the most important attributes of an investigator are those which can’t be taught.
“You must think independently in different situations and be confident in your decisions,” she says. “You can’t always check in with your boss to make sure you’re doing the right thing.”
One might imagine that private investigators could be in danger when on the job. Since an investigator’s main job is to uncover information, Riggle doesn’t consider personal harm a risk.
Nor does she carry a weapon. “Some people do,” says Riggle. “It depends on if you have Act 120 clearance.”
Act 120 clearance means you are permitted to carry a firearm on the job. You must take a class to get this type of clearance.
Private detectives typically earn $20,000 a year. They also receive health benefits, a 401K plan and profit sharing opportunities.
Riggle hopes that this job is just the beginning of her career as a private investigator.
“This job is more like a stepping stone to a different aspect of criminal justice, unless you run an office,” she says.
This stepping stone mentality is common in this line of work. There is a great deal of competition for available jobs and little room for advancement in the field. Many people start as investigators, then move into another area of criminal justice or open their own investigative office, as Riggle would like to do one day.
With all the variety this field has to offer, Riggle advises potential gumshoes to go into this profession with your eyes open.
“There are a lot of different opportunities,” she says. “So don’t just look in one place.”
