Did you know that every employee at GroupOne Background Screening is a licensed private investigator? Well, now you do! But we should note, not only is this a source of GroupOne pride, it’s also the law.
We were reminded of this after a recent case in Iowa. Specifically, the immigration arrest of a Des Moines Public Schools’ superintendent in September who lacked work authorization and apparently lied on his official paperwork. A good background check would have caught these discrepancies.
Now the background screening company is under fire because the CEO was not a licensed private investigator. He could now face criminal charges for failing to obtain a state license as he had previously been contacted by an Iowa Department of Public Safety official about this very issue.
Since the arrest of the Des Moines’ superintendent, state officials have tried to tighten background checks for public job applicants, which is what led to the discovery of the background check CEO being unlicensed. What a mess.
Becoming a licensed private investigator (PI) generally requires being at least 18-21 years old, passing a background check/fingerprinting, and passing a state-mandated exam. Most U.S. states to include Texas require licenses, often demanding prior experience of law enforcement or investigative work and continuing education.
Here’s the requirements for Texas Licensed PIs:
- Age: Must be at least 18 years old;
- Record: No felony convictions or Class A misdemeanors;
- Regulator: Licensed under the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Private Security Act;
- Process: Includes submitting fingerprints, passing a background check, and passing a state exam (70% or higher);
- Training: Requires specific training for certain roles;
- Experience: Generally, three years of experience is required, though some exceptions apply for degrees or other experience.
Common Steps to Licensing:
- Training and Education: While not always required, courses in criminal justice, surveillance and interview techniques improve chances.
- Experience: Most states require working under an established agency to gain required hours;
- Insurance/Bonding: Some states require professional liability insurance or bonds.
In addition, at GroupOne we believe our PI team has the experience to not only provide you with the most accurate background checks for your job candidates and employees, but we are also experts in assisting you with legal compliance. As we said earlier, it’s a source of pride.