Fines of up to $3,000 would be possible for any licensed private investigator who breaks rules adopted as part of the state’s new investigator licensing program, under rules being proposed by the regulatory agency.

The rules – announced Jan. 31 -  would govern implementation of the licensing program approved by the state legislature last year. The licensing is voluntary; private investigators are not required to get a license.

Among other provision, the proposed rules:

• Require applications to have either 4,000 hours of work as a private investigator over the past five years, or 2,000 hours an associate degree from a college or university.
• Permit anyone to petition  the agency to “terminate controversies or remove uncertainties” concerning any aspect of the licensing program, including the issuance of licenses.
• Hold hearings on any petition filed.
• Fined a licensed investigator up to $1,00 for the first violation of any rule, and up to $3,000 for the third violation

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COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — A Colorado Springs private investigator recently began examining digital property seized by police for a case surrounding a sex scandal involving former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s husband, Todd.

Ed Opperman has been retained by Shailey Tripp, a 37-year-old former licensed massage therapist, who wants him to determine whether Anchorage, Alaska,  police tampered with computers and cell phones that she says contain evidence of what she says was a sexual relationship  with Todd Palin.

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In the world of status updates and instant publication of personal to-dos, private investigators are finding a wealth of information on social media websites.

Denver Private Investigator Steve Davis of Davis and Associates Professional Background Services, LLC, recently spoke with a reporter from Examiner.com’s Denver site, about how social media has changed the investigation landscape.

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DENVER — One of Colorado’s most prominent private investigators says the police account of a 2007 shooting that left a Denver man a quadriplegic doesn’t add up.

Retired Lakewood cop turned private investigator Ellis Armistead recently weighed in on a January 2007 car-sting operation that ended poorly, resulting in a police shooting that left suspect Darrell Havens in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Arvada detective Bill Johnson, the lead investigator on the case, set out one winter night to arrest Darrell Havens, whom police  documents described as “a very active auto theft group operation in the metro area.” Johnson and 18 other officers from varying agencies had planned to bust Havens as he sold a stolen car to an informant at a SuperTarget in Wheat Ridge, Colo.

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A husband-and-wife pair of Denver private investigators is helping novelists figure out how to write authoritatively and accurately about their private investigator characters.

Colleen Collins and Shaun Kaufman are profiled in a recent issue of the Denver weekly Westword. They’re the co-authors of an e-book  “How to Write a Dick: A Guide to Writing Fictional Sleuths from a Couple of Real Life Sleuths.”

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DENVER – Colorado private investigators will be able to obtain licenses issued by the state next year, ending the state’s status as one of a handful that don’t issue such licenses.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper Friday signed a bill approved by state lawmakers that creates a licensing system through which private investigators can – but are not required to – obtain a license.

Leaders of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC) spearheaded efforts to get the bill approved. “All Colorado investigators who have long desired to obtain a license can breathe a big sigh of relief,” PPIAC chair Dean Beers said.

Under the licensing system created by the bill, licenses could be issued to private investigators who have no felony convictions or class one misdemeanor convictions for the past 10 years, and who have 4,000 hours of work experience or 2,000 hours plus some form of as-yet unspecified post-secondary education.

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DENVER – Legislation allowing private investigators to obtain a license cleared the state Senate Monday, putting Colorado one step closer to ending its status as one of a handful of states that does not license private investigators.

The Bill passed with a 21-13 margin. Assuming the House agrees to amendments added to the bill in the Senate, the bill is headed for Gov. John Hickenlooper’s desk. He has not publicly indicated whether he’ll sign the bill.

Colorado Senators Irene Aguilar, Lucia Guzman, Bob Bacon, Gail Schwartz, Betty Boyd, Mary Hodge, Shawn Mitchell, Pat Steadman, Rollie Heath, Evie Hudak, John Morse, Lois Tochtrop, Morgan Carroll, Cheri Jahn, Linda Newell, Mike Johnston, Jeanne Nicholson, Suzanne Williams, Angela Giron, Steve King, and Senate President Brandon C. Shaffer voted for the bill.

Colorado Senators who voted against the bill consisted of: Senators Mike Kopp, Mark Scheffel, Ted Harvey, Kent Lambert, Kevin Lundberg, Nancy Spence, Greg Brophy, Bill Cadman, Al White, Keith King, Scott Renfroe, Kevin Grantham, and Ellen Roberts.

Under the licensing system created by the bill, licenses could be issued to PIs who have no felony convictions or class one misdemeanor convictions for the past 10 years, and who have 4,000 hours of work experience or 2,000 hours plus some form of as-yet unspecified post-secondary education.

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Ed Opperman of EmailRevealer.com

COLORADO SPRINGS — A Colorado private investigator is attracting boatloads of national press by identifying emailers and conducting other cyber-stalking investigations for a wide range of clients,  including celebrities.

Ed Opperman of EmailRevealer.com recently  investigated  the origin of an e-mail complaining about one of the producers of shock-jock radio talker Howard Stern. The case made national headlines, and it’s far from the only time Opperman has worked for celebrities.

Opperman offered some insights into his cyber-sleuthing in a  recent e-interview with  the Denver Private Investigator Blog.

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DENVER – Legislation allowing Colorado private investigators to obtain licenses from the state cleared another hurdle Monday with approval by a Senate committee.

The 6-3 vote in favor of the bill by members of the Senate Judiciary committee puts Colorado one step closer to ending its status as one of only a handful of states that does not license private investigators.

Under the licensing system created by the bill, licenses could be issued to PIs who have no felony convictions or class one misdemeanor convictions for the past 10 years, and who have 4,000 hours of work experience or 2,000 hours plus some form of as-yet unspecified post-secondary education.

Senators Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud, Colo., Ellen Roberts of Durango, Colo., and Mark Scheffel of Parker, Colo., voted against the bill. The senators who voted for the bill are: Angela Giron of Pueblo, Colo., Steve King of Grand Junction, Colo., Linda Newell of Littleton, Colo., Jeanne Nicholson of Gilpin County, Colo., Lucia Guzman of Denver, and Morgan Carroll of Aurora, Colo.

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