Investigative services
Facts before decisions
Who is this vendor? Is this room private? Is someone following me? How exposed are we? Our investigative services answer those questions with evidence, so the security decisions that follow rest on something solid.
Urban Shield / InvestigationsFive disciplinesVendor and Employee Background Checks
The people you hire and the companies you let through the door carry risk with them. We verify who they are before they have access to your premises, systems or family. Checks are run with the written authorization that consumer reporting laws require, and scoped to the role.
- Identity and address history verification
- Criminal record searches at county, state and federal level
- Employment, education and professional license verification
- Civil litigation, judgment and lien searches
- Vendor ownership, licensing and insurance verification
- Periodic re-screening for sensitive positions
What you receiveA clear written report for each subject, with sources, and guidance on lawful use in hiring and contracting decisions.
Vendor and Family Office Screening
Family offices and private households rely on a small circle of trusted people: house staff, advisors, contractors, drivers and caregivers. That trust deserves verification. We screen individuals and firms before they enter the circle, and we do it quietly.
- Screening of household staff, nannies, drivers and personal assistants
- Due diligence on advisors, managers and prospective business partners
- Contractor and service-vendor vetting before property access
- Reputation and adverse media review
- Social media and online footprint review
- Confidential handling with a single point of contact
What you receiveA confidential profile of each individual or firm, with identified concerns ranked by seriousness.
TSCM Services
Technical Surveillance Countermeasures, often called a bug sweep, is the search for hidden microphones, cameras, trackers and other eavesdropping devices. We examine the rooms, vehicles and devices where sensitive conversations happen, and we advise on keeping them clean.
- Radio-frequency spectrum analysis for transmitting devices
- Physical search of rooms, furnishings, fixtures and wiring
- Detection of hidden cameras and audio recorders
- Vehicle inspections for GPS trackers
- Sweeps before board meetings, negotiations and litigation sessions
- Recommendations for ongoing technical security
What you receiveA written sweep report covering areas examined, methods used, findings and recommended corrections.
Surveillance
Sometimes the only way to know what is happening is to observe it. Our investigators conduct lawful physical surveillance to document activity, confirm or dispel a concern and gather evidence that will stand up to scrutiny.
- Fixed and mobile physical surveillance
- Documentation with time-stamped photographs and video
- Workplace misconduct, theft and fraud matters
- Monitoring of persons of concern and restraining order compliance
- Counter-surveillance to learn whether a client is being watched
- Investigator testimony when a matter reaches court
What you receiveA chronological surveillance log with supporting photographs and video.
Threat and Vulnerability Assessments
An assessment answers two questions. Who or what could cause harm, and how easily could they do it? We examine both sides: the credibility of a threat or person of concern, and the weak points in a property, routine or organization.
- Physical security surveys of homes, offices and venues
- Review of concerning communications and behavior
- Assessment of persons of interest
- Review of routines, travel patterns and public exposure
- Online exposure review for addresses and personal data
- Prioritized recommendations with estimated effort
What you receiveA ranked list of findings with practical corrective steps, from immediate fixes to longer-term improvements.
Investigative services are performed by appropriately licensed personnel under the laws of the state where the work takes place, including consumer reporting, privacy and recording statutes. This page describes services in general terms and is not legal advice.
Have a question that needs a factual answer?
Tell us what you need to know. We will explain what can lawfully be established, how long it takes and what it costs.
