(An open letter from the Executive Director:)

Dear fellow PI:

Question: "Why are most Private Investigators NOT an active member of a state or national PI association?"

Answer: (per a recent survey of 3,000 PIs) "not education-based enough"; "waste of money"; "training too overpriced for what little new knowledge is gained"; too much in-fighting and internal politics"; "no value"; "I learned nothing".

Then, how about a PI association dedicated solely to the continuing education of Private Investigators? That means: NO politics. NO high dues. NO 'Kings & Queens'. NO jealousies. NO competition. NO waste. NO fluff. NO status differences.

More specifically, this means: a completely non-competitive sharing of codes, tips, data, and other knowledge amongst members, with no holding back!

Members with one, simple, common goal:
increasing their PI knowledge through group self-education.

Most PIs don't have time to attend much formal training, or to follow every posting on the Internet PI groups, but they do have a desire to keep current & updated. And most PIs that are members of their local associations do NOT attend the functions: they join simply for the written materials that are sent to them. Instead, WE arrange for our own education, our own training, our own tests, our own publications-- all group self-education-based. And we keep basic dues VERY low by producing and making available top-notch group professional certifications and test preparation materials, such as our Certified Master Investigator certification, acknowledged to be the most extensive in the PI industry. All in a friendly, non-competitive atmosphere.

Think about it. Each of us probably knows some little 'trick', or has a list, or some knowledge that not many other PIs have. If every member contributed them, all of our clients would be better served. For example, how about limited access to the largest private database for information on and contact of celebrities, who are the hardest people to serve process on? Or how about e-mail request access for a free search of all the past 'telephone' CD-ROMs from 1993 to current? And without outrageous dues! The time to join is NOW.

Inspired by the legal profession's 'American Law Institute', we focus solely on our industry's weakness-- worthwhile continuing education. We leave the social events and the politics to the other associations, as we work along well with them. In fact, part of our association's monthly publication 'Academy Journal' is devoted to monitoring many other associations, keeping our members informed as to their calendar of events, etc.. We work to help them organize educational conferences, with us as co-sponsor.

Questions? E-mail to NatInvAcad@aol.com, or view http://members.aol.com/NatInvAcad/, or call (818) 883-6969.

The dictionary defines 'academy' as
"an association of scholars for
advancing an art or science".

And Ralph Waldo Emerson said
"The only really educated
people are self-educated".

I couldn't say it better:
that describes the members of the
NATIONAL INVESTIGATION ACADEMY!

Thank you,

John L. Grogan, CMI
Executive Director