Child Custody Surveillance FAQ’S

• What is child custody surveillance?
• Is child custody surveillance legal?
• What if I am wrong?
• How are the fees charged for child custody surveillance?
• How many investigators are used on a child custody surveillance case?
• What do I do once the surveillance is set up?
• How do you follow someone?
• Will the subject find out that they are being watched?
• What evidence will I receive at the conclusion?

What is child custody surveillance?

The word surveillance is French, literally means “watching over”, the term is often used for “Close observation or monitoring of a person or group, especially one under suspicion. Domestic surveillance is the monitoring the behavior of people. Monitoring could involve wives, husbands, boyfriends or girlfriends. Following an individual or tailing someone or subject is the techniques, where investigators are assigned to infidelity cases to follow suspected cheater to document their activity and to determine the nature or location of that activity. These activities are usually documented on videotapes.

Is child custody surveillance legal?

The law does not prohibit surveillance. There is no general right to privacy from observations. An agent sitting in a car outside a home watching others and video recording or photographing their activities is not committing an offence, even if the subject is on their own private land. In fact any citizen may conduct surveillance, provided they do not charge for their services, as charging requires an investigator’s license. Similarly there is no law to prohibit mobile surveillance where a subject is followed via foot, car or public transport, unless one has conducted the “Invasion of Privacy”. Invasion of Privacy is a crime usually involving video monitoring and / or recording of bedroom, bathroom, or clothes changing areas (i.e. locker rooms). EPIS investigator’s do not condone the potential misuse or abuse the system, which we proudly carry to help people. We conduct surveillance and covert video because it’s often the only way to capture evidence of serious wrong doing. In a day and age where even eyewitness testimony is often unreliable, video evidence is the often the ONLY recourse to hold people responsible for their misdeeds against others.

What if I am wrong?

While conducting surveillance and there is no wrong doing on the subject behave or the cheater, you the client have gained peace of mind about the person being investigated.

How are the fees charged for child custody surveillance?

Domestic surveillance is billed on an hourly basis plus a mileage charge and any other charges that might come up. Fees are primarily charged as time and mileage travelled. It is usually a mobile activity, and investigators will charge by distance, including from the office to the job, as well as for any movement that occurs during the surveillance. EPIS has a minimum of five hour on site for any domestic surveillance, regardless of activity that occurs. The clock starts for surveillance job when the agent leaves the office, and finishes when the investigator returns to the office. Surveillance is charged by the miles, from door to door.

How many investigators are used on a child custody surveillance case?

On a daily normal case, we use one agent to conduct surveillance. On more difficult and complicated cases, such as high profile individuals, difficult situations such as multiple exits or being in a high congested traffic and signal areas, or having an aggressive driving behavior and being extra cautious who always watch the rear view mirror and makes sudden u-turns, we will use two or more agents.

What do I do once the surveillance is set up?

Once the surveillance has started, you the client must continue your daily routine activity. It is important that you do no act differently, ask any questions regarding his activity, or to alert the subject.

How do you follow someone?

Conducting mobile surveillance is an art. It all depends on the area and the circumstances. There are cases that the agent most follow few cars or sometimes directly behind the subject without any suspicion and not getting burned. There are cases, that mobile surveillance is conducted from a long distance away.

Will the subject find out that they are being watched?

All of our investigation is 100% confidential. If at any point, the investigation is threatened, or the subject has become more suspicious, we back off and re-evaluate with your input. One important point: Never threaten to hire an investigator. This will make the suspected cheater even more difficult to watch. If you have done this, be sure to tell us ahead of time so we can prepare.

What evidence will I receive at the conclusion?

While conducting a domestic surveillance consists of the videotape of the activities and surveillance report which details all the activity in writing. Both are submitted to you, or if you wish we can maintain them for you.