Aiding A Bounty Hunter

Ok...wow I'm really shocked at how in different states it seems (according to the aforementioned discussion) how hard it is to get something as simple as a booking photo. Like I said, I will never complain about a crappy booking photo again!

So Bill, are there any other advantages to being an "officer of the court" now? Also, I have some questions about VA bonding laws and would like to PM you if that's alright.

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There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything. - From the Hagakure

On the photo thing, I guess we have it pretty good. When I started, we used poloroid. Take a pic when you write the bond and staple it to the file. Now, I am spoiled. And lazy sometimes. Here in the county I live in anyway, they always print me out a copy of the booking photo they take and any other pics they may have taken before to staple to the file. Then, I take one with my phone with street clothes and email that home for my files there. Then, if they run, I see if the jail has any more recent photos and go by DMV and get a copy of their drivers license photo. You would be amazed sometimes how different each of these pics look and can make a difference when looking for someone. Granted, Im talking about bigger bonds that Im shaky on. Locals that I know, I dont go that far. I can get all the pics I want if I need them.

One thing that does burn my ass is if we get in a forfeiture one of our agents write. We do whatever research we need to to and locate the person and lay a plan. I meet the agent and we are ready to head out of town to get the perp. I look at their file and no pic. I shyt you not, this has happened several times and the answer I get is, "no problem, I know the guy." WTF? Well, I dont know what he looks like and neither will the upmteen people we have to talk to to find this jerk when we get there......

Andy
Write the defendant's name in thick black magic marker on the file in bi9g letters and make them hold it up under their chin for your camera phone. That way, if it is a day or two later, you don't have to remember the name!

Scott

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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)

Good idea. However, I usually just write their name in the subject line of the email when I send it from my phone to my computer.

Been there . . . I say . . . then you will be doing this one yourself.

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

I believe all bondsman should take their own photos anyway,i have had some booking photos look to dark to even recognise. i have had to go pick up booking pictures for bonding companies on numerous occasions after recieving the case without one.Which takes valuable time away from the field to go to the jail,and i dont know about anybody elses AO but my local jails dont seem to get in any hurry to get us our pictures.
I understand were you are coming from andy,not to long ago i had a bondsman hand me a case that had barely any info and no photo.When i asked what the deal was,he said that it was a friend of his and knew what he looked like and knew were he lived(at the time he wrote the bond)Now i might add that this bondsman wasnt coming with us for the capture but still figured we could find him on almost no info.Of coure we found him after getting a booking picture from the jail and hunting him down to an out of state address,But it would have been ALOT easier if all info was there and bondsman had his own picture.Another reason why i always say"Friends are friends and business is business"

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Jay Crawford
Eagle Eye Fugitive Recovery
"based out of Bethpage Tn."
Cell:(931)551-5020

Point 1... as for bonding laws in Virginia, I would point anyone to the DCJS website and also the VA.gov website... all is spelled out much better than I can relate.

Point 2... pictures... you better damn will take a digital camera everywhere... everywhere... let me repeat... everywhere with you in this business... I have 3 including a 300MM Nikon digital with several extra lenses... my mug shot camera is a Nikon small digital that I have the date imprinted on the picture... I often take pictures of the entire family or whomever is signing on the bond. I don't print out the pictures but I keep copies dated and in my computer file and I keep 3... repeat... 3 backup copies of every file.... on external hard drives and thumb drives as well as on 3 different laptops.... KEEP BACKUP OF EVERYTHING YOU DO................ FOR AT LEAST 5 TO 7 YEARS

>>>added<<< I save the digital picture as a .jpg... I name it as follows and put it in the appropriate directory as to the year... the file name tells me the month and name of the defendant.... IE: '3-10--Smith.jpg' as in March of 2010, last name Smith... that nails it down and the directory puts it in the correct Jurisdiction... and I also have the date imprinted on the photo for the exact day the picture was taken... it can be located and printed out in less than 15 seconds.... as said............ info, info, info, info................

I have been told that I am OVERKILL on all the STUFF I have and use in this business.... oh, well.

Let me say this once again... and this is damn good advice newbies... listen to me!!!

This business is based on nothing more than good solid information... information and pictures.... everything you do in this business, whether it is BEA or bonding revolves around your intel.... you can never.... say again... you can never have too many pictures or too much info... and keep it all together and up to date...

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Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

That advice was very well said Bill.

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Domestic Security Investigations
P.O. Box 4462
Rockville, MD 20849
Tel: 1-800-387-0787
Anti-Moral Majority Club President
"Fear not the unknown, Fear the person who controls the unknown" Gene 7:14

Believe or not, there are a lot of LEO's that don't know what's public record and what's not, so I try not to ask LE for anything that'll get someone in trouble in the first place. Those are bridges you don't want to burn, and if somebody gets in hot water helping one agent, you can bet it'll shut down a potential source for everybody.

I can usually find everything I need in public records. If not, I can usually string together enough info from those files to lead me to "other" sources. It helps to have a working knowledge of the court system and your state's "Sunshine" laws going in.

As for pics, I take my own when I write the bond. And yes, every now and then I forget, BUT... I can usually find something usable from those "other" sources.

The approach that's worked best for me is to gather as much information as I can going in. And I keep EVERYTHING, including the stuff that may seem useless. Remember, what's useless today may be the key to the whole shootin' match tomorrow.

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

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

[quote] what's useless today may be the key to the whole shootin' match tomorrow.[/quot

absolutely right!

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Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN