Looking for advice, working with law enforcement

Today was not a good day..
After nearly 2 weeks of looking for my fugitive I caught up with him, and his brother. Unfortunately when I arrived to take both of them into custody I was met by US Marshals and told to leave.

Given the location was a business, and I first wanted to see how everything was laid out, I removed anything and everything that looked 'police' or 'fugitive agent'. I left only my ID hanging out of my pocket. I approached a salesman and asked for the owner. He acknowledged he was the owner. In the palm of my hand I held a photo, I asked if he could identify either of these people as having recently been there. He confirmed that he had sent them on an errand and they would be back shortly. I turned to leave and saw man I would label as 'suspicious'. He asked me what I was doing, and I explained to him exactly why I was there.

He told me to leave and not come back, because I was interfering with a US Marshal. I left, and called local PD to see if they knew anything. They thought I was making it up. I gave them my name, and told them I was just at the PD giving them notice. He recalled me being there, but said to our knowledge there are no US Marshals doing anything in the area.

I have been fooled once by a bail agent who was looking for the same fugitive we were. He claimed he was a US Marshal, only to get me to leave the place. It worked, I lost out on the contract and was pretty ticked at the bail agent for sending two companies on the same run and never telling either of us. I learned - my agreements are different now, and it shouldn't happen.

Long story short, being unable to confirm the identity of the person claiming US Marshal credentials, but not wanting to interfere with a US Marshal if it were true, we pulled back a few blocks and watched across the highway.

They did take one of the fugitives into custody. They sent the other one on his way. But we have bond contracts and warrants on both of them. By the time we got back across the road, we had no idea where the other person went. We called the county jail. One fugitive was brought in by US Marshals. The other person they have no records of being arrested. Which is correct because we watched him casually drive away as we frantically tried to get to his location.

My questions are these;
I have a good relationship with almost all the local law agencies, how does one build any sort of reputation with Us Marshals?

Should I have asked for any credentials when he claimed he was a marshal?

If given the opportunity I would have explained to him that if he doesn't have a warrant for both men, I do, and I needed both of them taken into custody. Should I have been more assertive? The opportunity was not given, and if I wanted to tell him anything I would have to have been very blunt and probably slightly rude. He was none too happy that we 'interfered'.

What is the best way to handle this? Did we do it the best way and we just got hosed on the deal?

I missed out a $1500 contract for one of them, and a $2200 contract on the other.

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Jeff D.
Gauntlet Professional Services
Fugitive Recovery, Bail Bonds, Process Servers, Investigations, Security, Training,
State Approved Courses for POST and DIFP
Located in Central/Southwest Missouri/St. Louis/Kansas City
417.309.0582

One piece of advice. Take it for what it is worth. Always ask to see a badge. Don't be disrespectful about it when you do, just politely ask to see the LEO's credentials. I have run into similar situations before, I have never had a negative response to "Can I see a badge?".

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(Freelance) Recovery Agent, MN.

Exactly. And, if I may, be quick, but respectful, to demonstrate your own documented authority to arrest.

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Tom Duprey
Founding member, NABBI (Nat'l Assoc. of Bail Bond Inv.)
Ca. Bail Agent Lic#1845795
Owner/Operator, Thomas Duprey Bail Bonds
Owner/Operator, Orange County Bounty
(714) 727-4689

I agree with the previous responses.

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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"

Thanks, Sno. How do??

_________________
Tom Duprey
Founding member, NABBI (Nat'l Assoc. of Bail Bond Inv.)
Ca. Bail Agent Lic#1845795
Owner/Operator, Thomas Duprey Bail Bonds
Owner/Operator, Orange County Bounty
(714) 727-4689

Wonderful, Tom. Training up for that "trip" to a foreign land. I was gone for 12 weeks, returned home 2 weeks ago, and leaving for several more months of training in about three weeks. How are things with you and yours?

I digress: I would also be ready to present my paperwork and certification/licensing. When asking for proof of legitimacy, one should always be prepared to reciprocate. Professionalism is, rarely, taken as a negative but, if it were, there are guidelines in place to counteract those.

_________________
********************
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"

I'm good. Took a break from recovery for awhile to focus on getting my bail agent license which should come through very shortly. I'm firing on all eight cylinders now.

_________________
Tom Duprey
Founding member, NABBI (Nat'l Assoc. of Bail Bond Inv.)
Ca. Bail Agent Lic#1845795
Owner/Operator, Thomas Duprey Bail Bonds
Owner/Operator, Orange County Bounty
(714) 727-4689

If you ask any LEO for a badge, isn't it a law that they have to show a ID?

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John Garra
Columbus, GA
646-420-0893

That may only apply to local law enforcement, maybe not to the feds!

Unfortunately I don't know the answer local LE i know is definitely is the law as far as feds I have no idea.

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John Garra
Columbus, GA
646-420-0893