Why does a surveillance deployment have a minimum number of hours?

Titan surveillance deployments have a minimum number of 5 hours, why is this?

When prospective clients, whether that be a private or corporate contact Titan enquiring in regard to surveillance, we talk them through the process and tactics. A surveillance deployment requires two surveillance operatives who will covertly monitor and record the movements of an individual known as the subject. This can be done on foot, public transport or from a vehicle depending on the subject’s mode of transport. The operatives will gain video footage of the subject at pertinent times throughout the deployment to evidence their location, associations and body language.

If a subject was to enter a public area such as a hotel lobby, bar or restaurant, the operatives have the ability to take video footage covertly using covert cameras which will also gain audio to potentially capture conversations and actions. This is limited to how close the operatives are able to get to the subject and ambient noise levels though. On a usual surveillance deployment, operatives deploy for a minimum of five hours at a time; however this can be longer and there is no maximum limit.

So why 5 hours for a surveillance deployment?

We then usually get asked, “Why is there a minimum number of five hours?”

The majority of surveillance operatives are utilised on a self-employed subcontractor basis. They therefore work for other investigation agencies other than Titan. Most of these agencies insist on the deployment time being a minimum of six hours unlike Titan. If Titan was instructed on a two-hour surveillance deployment then the surveillance operatives would hold out for a longer deployment time meaning we would be unable to resource the instruction. So, when clients do have a two or three hour instruction, they will be required to book the surveillance operative for a minimum of five hours.

There is however an exception to the contracted five hours on cohabitation deployments. This is when we are instructed to prove or disprove whether a couple are living together. This is generally required for the Form E, which is the financial element of a divorce. If one side of the couple getting divorced have not declared they are cohabiting with their new partner and this is suspected, we will deploy one surveillance operative to perform static observations. They will deploy in the evening and the following morning. This is to evidence the former partner and their new partner entering the address in an evening after work and leaving the following morning. Ideally, they will be wearing different clothing in the morning to the evening prior.

This proves that they have a wardrobe at the address. This is then repeated as many times as the budget will allow over a two-week period with none of the same days repeated. It would not be financially feasible for us to charge for five hours in an evening and five hours the following morning, so we perform two and a half hours in the evening and two and a half the following morning.

This is pretty much the only exception. Some surveillance operatives may be willing to work outside the contractual minimum of five hours; however this is based on a case by case basis.

Who should I call for more information about surveillance services?

For further advice and information in regard to hiring a surveillance operative or private investigator, then feel free to speak to one of our professional team at one of the offices nearest to you.

Hire a London Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations London Office 020 39046622

Hire a Birmingham Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Birmingham Office 0121 7162442

Hire a Cambridge Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Cambridge Office 01223 662022

Hire a Derby Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Derby (Head Office) 01332 504256

Hire a Leeds Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Leeds Office 0113 4574066

Hire a Leicester Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Leicester Office 0116 2436520

Hire a Nottingham Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Nottingham Office 0115 9646950

Hire a Manchester Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Office 0161 3023008

Hire a Sheffield Private Investigator – Call the Titan Investigations Sheffield Office 0114 3499400

Alternatively, you can contact us directly using our fully confidential contact form at enquiries@titaninvestigations.co.uk or chat directly using our Live Chat facility and one of our private investigations team will get right back to you.