Surveillance is much more than simply 'following' a subject. It has been accurately described as "a highly skilled and technical art form." Unlike the fictional private investigators and law enforcement personnel depicted on television and in the movies, surveillance in the real world is extremely unpredictable. There is no script, no director, and if it's not done correctly the first time, there are no 're-takes'.

We at IACS are always mindful of the objectives and goals of our clients, and never forget that we are their 'eyes and ears', making every effort to complete every investigation within the scope and authorization provided.

Generally speaking, 'surveillance' is a covert investigative technique, utilized to discreetly obtain information through observation, regarding to the activities, associates and/or whereabouts of a subject.

We conduct surveillance to obtain information and/or evidence. When you need to obtain evidence regarding a subject's precise activities and/or acquaintances, there is absolutely no substitute for surveillance. Surveillance is useful for gathering many different types of information. Some of the information gathered through surveillance could include evidence regarding a subject's business and recreational activities, personal and business relationships, residence, employment and business locations, and much more.

Surveillance is utilized in nearly all types of investigations, including civil, criminal, insurance, background, domestic, and locate investigations.

There may be situations where it is beneficial or necessary to use more than one surveillance investigator. These might include:

long-term surveillance operations
surveillance of a subject who is likely to suspect that he is being investigated
surveillance that involves following a subject from an airport or other large congested location where many different transportation alternatives exist
surveillance of one subject that is likely to result in identifying and following a second subject.

The duration of any surveillance investigation varies greatly from one case to another. While a simple investigation may be completed in only a few hours, others require days, weeks, or even months of surveillance in order to accomplish the stated goals.