As an avid Jazz fan, I have always found it interesting how Jazz and the seedy portrayal of investigators are linked.

From those early Black & White films portraying seedy Private Detectives like Mike Hammer, silhouetted lighting a cigarette, to the down-trodden British 1970’s ‘Enquiry Agents’ in a grubby Stone Mac like Frank Marker in ‘Public Eye’, there was always a slow, Blues style Jazz background.

It got me thinking how those portrayals of investigators still resonate with people today, despite the great strides to regulate, accredit and generally improve the image of investigators.

The modern investigator no longer focuses on dubious methods to gain evidence, nor do they merely focus on divorce cases or missing persons.

They are a highly trained, methodical and ethical investigator, using all the modern methods of investigative practices to investigate allegations of cyber crime, staff fraud, misconduct, harassment, bullying and discrimination.

They follow strict ethical guidelines, hold professional memberships and share their experience and expertise with others, either through provision of training services or even free webinars.

The modern investigator has moved on, much like Jazz music, and Maynard Ferguson said that ‘change is always happening’ and that’s what makes it (Jazz) wonderful.

Change is always happening in the investigator’s world and organisations should begin to explore the amazing wealth of experience, expertise and skills that investigators have to conduct fair, thorough and impartial investigations without any bias or ingrained organisational culture and behaviours influencing their decisions.

Cast aside the images of grubby macs, Trilby hats tilted to one side, cigarette in mouth and a glass in the other, and open your eyes to the real benefits of using a modern, professional, ethical and experienced investigator.

You never know, you may just ‘change’ your mind!