Services/Procedures

SECURITY SERVICES

Guilford Security Agency began the on-site security division in 1989 and currently has security guard locations reaching from the Triad area to the North Carolina coast. We provide security guard services for a variety of clients, meeting the needs of small companies, as well as large corporations. We still maintain accounts that were contracted when our business began.

Security officers receive four hours of training mandated by North Carolina, as well as Guilford Security Agency's training program and on-the-job training.

Guilford Security Agency provides supervisors that can be reached by telephone, day or night. Our clients never talk to answering services or are required to page a supervisor.

Area supervisors are scheduled 24 hours a day to oversee security guards, assuring duties are sufficiently performed and the guards are in proper uniform. Area supervisors are also responsible for taking over any position where the guard has had to leave unexpectedly.

We provide armed, uniformed officers trained to meet requirements of North Carolina and Guilford Security standards to carry firearms.

Our patrol vehicles are marked with Guilford Security Agency emblems and light bars. Each patrol vehicle is equipped with a two-way radio, which enables communication with the radio dispatcher 24 hours per day. Communication between the patrol officer and dispatcher ensures safety and immediate response if an emergency arises.

We install bar-code strips at designated points around the perimeter of the site patrolled. As the property is patrolled, the officer swipes the bar code strip with a data collector that verifies the times the officer was at each checkpoint on the property. These reports are submitted to the client twice per week. The bar code guarantees the client all information submitted is true and accurate.

DETECTIVE SERVICES

Powers Detective Agency, in business since 1975, is located in Greensboro, N.C. Founded by a former Greensboro Police Department Detective, Frank Powers, the business has steadily grown and is known for its professionalism and integrity.

Our investigators are retired Greensboro Police Department Investigators with expertise in homicide, fraud, theft, burglary, robbery and drug investigations.

We conduct private investigations in all of North Carolina. We can also conduct investigations in other states if the case originates in North Carolina, or involves a party from North Carolina traveling to another state. We provide thoroughly documented investigations and present professional court testimony.

We have state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, enabling us to successfully complete any kind of investigation.

We specialize in, but are not limited to:

Our primary investigators are:

Jim Hightower – 30-year retired Lieutenant, Criminal Investigations Division, Greensboro Police Department.

Ernest Cherry – 30-year retired Greensboro Police Department Fraud Investigator and Handwriting Analysis expert.

PRIVATE INVESTIGATIONS
Fundamentally, every investigation is conducted in a similar manner. The first step of any investigation is the preliminary inquiry in which all the relevant data is obtained from the client. Information about key persons in the investigation is usually gathered from database reports that we have available.

Reconnaissance is also conducted to obtain photographs and detailed information about specific places.

With this preliminary information, we will devise an investigative plan. Essentially, the plan will outline specific tasks or assignments. This plan is reviewed and updated several times throughout the investigation.

Three of the most commonly used techniques in any investigation are surveillance, interviews and information sources.

Surveillance can be done in an overt (noticeable) manner for the purpose of determining certain acts. Surveillance can also be done covertly (without the knowledge of the subject) for the purpose of obtaining information. Interviews are often done with the interviewee's knowledge of the circumstances, but can also be done without the interviewee's knowledge, gathered for a specific reason (called pretext). Information sources come in several different variations, ranging from public documents in courthouses to confidential informants.

After all the information is gathered and sorted, our investigator will put the information into a written report, along with supporting evidence, to be presented to the client.

PROCESS SERVICE

Process service is the means by which the courts obtain jurisdiction over an individual. Essentially, it is the delivering of court documents in a manner prescribed by law to an individual notifying him/her of a pending lawsuit. Process service can only be carried out by the Sheriff or a person appointed by the court where the action is being heard.

Service of process can be accomplished by personal service (physically handing the court documents to the defendant) or substituted service (leaving the court document with a resident). Constructive service (i.e., publishing in a newspaper) must receive prior authorization from the court. Process service should be completed within five days of filing the court action. A return of service must be completed by the process server as evidence of the service. This return of service is usually returned to the lawyer for review and filing with the court.

Service of subpoenas does not have the same strict requirements relating to who is eligible for service. The server does not have to be appointed by any court. They simply must be an adult who is not an interested party. Subpoenas may either be served by mail (certified or registered), given to the attorney of record (not usually applicable) or served physically to the individual. Subpoenas cannot be left with any resident such as process can be done.

Subpoenas must include a witness fee if applicable and be served at least 24 hours prior to scheduled court appearance. A return of service is usually returned to the lawyer for review and filing and should be filed with the clerk not less than 6 hours prior to the court appearance.

POLYGRAPH TEST

Powers Detective Agency offers several types of polygraph examination, including Criminal Defense, Domestic Issues, Civil Matters, Pre-employment and Internal Theft. Pre-employment and Internal Theft polygraphs fall under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA).

A Criminal Defense polygraph has three types:

In some situations, lawyers recommend a client take at least three examinations prior to the final stipulated examination so they can have the experience and prepare for that stipulated examination.