can anyone help me with info on how to get started as a fugitive recovery agent. and how i would get hired with a company.anything would help. thanks

Howdy!
Okay, so I have about 5 minutes more experience than you, but hope something I say here is helpful anyhow.

First, ask yourself why you want to become an FRA to start with? Bear in mind, there is a particle of peril in this line of work. The possibility of getting hurt, or even dead, does exist.

Second, consider whether you can make any money at it in your area. Study the market. If you are in a state that does not permit bail recovery, then it becomes a messy situation from a monetary standpoint. Likely as not you have a home and some sort of income. Are you apt to pull up stakes and move somewhere else just to do this particular line of work? What will that cost you? Where can you go, and what work can you secure.

Third, research the bail industry in your area (assuming it is permissible where you are) and find out what the market has to offer. If you anticipate taking on cases but there are none to be had, then what?

What special skills do you have to bring to this line of work? Do you have a military background or police training? How about martial arts? Weapons training? Maybe even a CCW permit? Taser or baton certification? Anything???

Do you own any equipment or would you need to invest in everything from scratch? Got any idea what a bullet resistant level IIIa vest will cost you? Or the cost of all the other gear you might need? Who do you suppose ends up buying all that gear? Looking in the nearest mirror for the answer. Going in might cost you several hundred dollars for training, several thousand for gear, and plenty more for insurance.

Assuming (probably wrongly so) Bail Enforcement is legal where you are, how willing are you to spend considerable time learning the laws regarding 'use of force', trespassing, burglary and menacing, just to name a few. The risk to life and limb runs just ahead of the peril of getting yourself arrested if you don't know the laws well. Handcuff the wrong person, and who ends up in jail?

The point I am trying to make here is that Fugitive Recovery is extremely serious business. It ain't like on T.V., and you don't get a second take. You must be extremely well trained to avoid serious, possibly even deadly, consequences.

Assuming you still hanker to do FRA work, then get the best training you can. Get the best equipment available at the most reasonable price you can find. That doesn't mean go cheap, just thrifty. To save a dollar on one end isn't worth risking your life on the other.

And after you've done all that, and gotten solid training, then find a mentor with a great deal of experience who is willing to take on an apprentice. Getting certification is only the beginning. Training will continue through a great deal more time with a mentor. During that time, don't expect to be paid. Your mentor is giving you an education that would cost many thousands of dollars if you could get it through a college or university, and he's giving it to you freely.

It all looks like a lot of fun, and it has moments to be sure. What happens the first time a bullet whizzes past your ear? Are you prepared for that? Have you considered that there is peril on the streets? Do you have the determination, fortitude and stamina to face this challenge?

The whole point is this.... Think hard and long about whether this is the sort of thing that you really... way down deep inside... want to do! And after you have given it a great deal of thought. Then think about it some more.

You'll spend a small fortune on training and gear; invest weeks, months or even years learning the trade, and confront risks barely imagined before making your first dollar. And at the end of it all, may discover getting your own cases ain't so easy either. What then.

FRA work isn't as easy as some claim. For those with the guts and resources to take it up, it can prove extremely rewarding because of what you do more than what you earn. Taking down a dangerous fugitive provides you with a tremendous satisfaction when you remove that person from the streets. It is an intrinsic thing that can't be calculated by a bank balance. Sure, some folks make money, but they've been on those streets long enough to perfect their craft. And that's another fly in the ointment. How long does it take to learn recovery work really well? That depends on the individual.

I ain't intending to rain on your dream, but reality exacts a harsh toll on the ill-prepared. If after a great deal of soul searching, and analyzing your motives, you're still keen on becoming an FRA, then do it right and prepare yourself well.

Your life is in your own hands, and it wasn't placed in them with caprice. Take your next steps with utmost care and all due diligence. Because the life you lead will change in many unexpected ways should you take up the profession of an FRA.

Dedide well, and be wise in your decision.

Blessings to you,
Mel

Mel, have you ever done any fishing?[/size]