CO certified, NOT!

As we all do, I get contacted on a regular basis by BEA's wanting work from me. I have very little personal skips, but I often refer out business to those that I have gotten to know and trust.

So, yesterday, a guy stopped by my office wanting to drop off his business card. I took the card, but didn't look at it until after he was gone. As soon as he handed it to me, telling me he was certified, I asked where he took his class. He told me that he took it in NY, and I responded that a NY certification didn't certify him in CO. I again asked where he took that class, and he wouldn't give the company name, and couldn't seem to even remember who was the instructor that he wanted to substitute for the company. With further questioning, he then said that he was working on taking a class from a CO instructor from a county that neighbors mine but he couldn't remember that name either.

So, after the guy leaves, I actually looked at the card. On the left was a badge symbol with "U.S. Recovery Bureau" surrounding it. On the right the guy's name and PO Box number was printed, but he hadn't filled in the blank "lines" for his phone numbers. My first response was to tear the card in half and trash it, but then took it back out of the trash as a good laugh, but also an opportunity to maybe print and send this person the news reports about the arrests of the principals of USRB.

All I can say is that each of us has to be very careful to verify the credentials of each and everyone that we work with. There are many bondsmen in my state that wouldn't question this person's credentials. Most don't care or follow what is required. Right now our legislature is considering a pre-trial release program that would essentially put bail agents out of business. We are fighting it, but the current laws that allow people like the Chapmans to work here, along with agents that hire unqualified BEA's works against us.Wish usluck in defeating this latest Bill.

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Kathy Blackshear
Blackshear Investigations
Blackshear Bail Bonds
Sales Associate, Prepaid Legal Services, Inc.
Walsenburg, CO

Proud Member of the AB Reject Club

Good luck, Kathy!

We just fought a similar battle here in Missouri, where legislation was introduced that would have increased required assignments made by general agents to the Dept. of Insurance. This would have essentially put a lot of smaller agencies out of business. It was tough, but tenacity and a unified front won out in the end. We're pretty certain it was just the beginning of a greater uphill battle, but at least we got the first round.

_________________
Doug DiNatale Bail Bonds
Vienna, MO
(573) 368-6672

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups."

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R&R
Professional Skip Trace Service
_________________________

Good God we get about 10 calls a week from people saying "i want to be your Bountyu Hunter"
When we say we handle our own cases I had one guy laugh and say "like YOU Bail Agents can do that. Yah we will call you

The typical answer around here is "We do our own recoveries". Expecially in rural areas and smaller towns, they tend to not use outside agents for recovery....maybe due to getting used to not having anyone available ..... maybe due to the ease of not having to find anyone to handle the recoveries ...... maybe to save a dollar. No matter the reason, the answer I have taught myself to expect is "We handle it, ourselves" so that I am happily surprised when someone gives me some work.

_________________
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Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

There is more that goes into the thought process, Snow.

Please consider these:

1) If he is a frequent flier, he will get locked up again within the time period allowed
2) The bond was properly collateralized and we don't care if he gets picked up, they forfeit the collateral
3) We may have taken a credit card on smaller bonds and we will bang it for the full amount the day he skips
...all of which cost us nothing, not throwing good money after bad

Then there is the mitigation of liability aspect...

Why would I risk a lawsuit on a small bond that the costs to litigate would far exceed the cost of just paying the bond, even if the indemnitor flakes out and has nothing to go after? That is a "My Bad" and I learn and move on.

As far as the comments from Bail Enforcement that are looking for work because they do not have ANY or enough apprehensions that their reputation precedes them, how do you think most of us Bondsmen got into this business? I know for a fact, Joe Stiles was one of the best chase men in this business and that is exactly why he is a great and prosperous Bondsman now. Never confuse the lack of desire to chase your own skips with the lack of knowledge or ability. I make more money writing them then chasing my own, and I am not alone.

Scott

_________________
R.E. "Scott" MacLean III

"Leaders are like Eagles, you never see them in a flock, but one at a time"

Chesapeake Group Investigations, Inc.
Chesapeake Bail Bonds
877-574-0500
301-392-1100 (fax)
301-392-1900 (Office)

ditto scott mclean. that seems to happen alot....

we do most of our own. gotta evaluate case by case.

1000k bonds suck. we dont make much. just enough to chase. can get more in it easy if not careful. if out of town, usually cheaper to pay bea 250 than to do it myself.

on say 50,000 bond, why would i pay a bea 5k plus? most likley i can do as much, usually more, than they can. its not the bea's butt on the line. he might not be as careful not to spook, which is more important most times. might not be as relentless. when it comes to big bonds, i just dont trust many people. too much can go wrong and i can promise they wont care as much as i do.

You would have to understand this area (Central Georgia) I guess. In my county, all the bondsmen know me. Some were friends of my parents as I grew up, I went to school with some, and others have been introduced to me over the last few years. I am sure to stop in and "check in" regulary. In the past few years I am sure I have seen and spoken to each one......30 times. They all (except two that have used me, one time a piece) say "We do all our own recovery". The problem is that they do not. I know them and I know that they don't. I also know who they use. Two of them use a Private Investigation company that are not "legal" for Bail Recovery. I know that one of the companies that has used me, writes very tight but pays ALL bonds that turn sour (poor business but it is his business)(oh, except the one I caught for him; $120,000 VS 43 years)....(I'd run, too). That is what I am saying. I know the facts and I still hear "We do it. There is no need to use you." In Atlanta, completely different story. No one does their own recovery. Away from the metro area....thats what they will say, even if its not true. I was even told by one bondsman "We just use the police. Its not like they don't have time in this small town (Zebulon). Heck, when I hand them a file, they atleast have some work to do. Otherwise they would just sit around and stare at the ladies from the day care." Even at that, they do not have "Bail Recovery"....they use the police....But they claim to have "Agents". My attempt is to keep things professional, when I approach a bondsman looking for work. As Andy said (but from a different point of view) A bondsmans butt is on the line and is emotional about the capture....he has more to lose and MAY lose his cool because of it. I am not emotionaly charged so I can approach the situation with a clear plan.....I have nothing to lose so I can be very confident and truthful when I say "This is just a job to me but I need you to understand; From this point forward things become your choice. I am very good at what I do and what I am trained to do. I can reamian professional while this remains my job or it can become personal and then I must protect myself and those around me". The subjects know right off the bat, they are caught and I will not be playing games. Thats all I was attempting to say (In a shorter version)

_________________
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Thomas SnoWolf
FRN# 1999
GAPB 20120726
NSIS ST0707
http://www.rocksolidrg.com
"The hero is not the man that acts without fear,
He is the man that acts inspite of fear"

in most situations, i dont trust law enforcement. your rolling the dice when you call the cops to inform them about a fugitive in their area. depends on which cop the dispatcher puts you through to. if you get one that likes his job, your golden. most likely he will use resources to get it done. as doug says, its like sport, they get to go all out with no paperwork involved. if you get a burnout, at best he will do nothing. at worst he will go doorknock and call you back saying he isnt there. now your skip you traced is going deeper.

same is true for some bea's. normally not burnout but lack of knowlege and experience. thats why im so loyal to ones that have done me right. i dont like crapshoots. if its feasible, ill do it myself.

those emotions are good, if you know how to use them, btw.