NorthStar Investigations is a full service, Florida based private investigation company committed to providing an honest, client minded service based on 24 years of experience in Insurance, corporate and private sector investigations from Florida to New York.
NorthStar conducts investigations on all Levels for Law Firms, Insurance companies, TPA’s, private individuals 7 days per week / 24 hours per day. Contact us for your free consultation.
"Trust, but Verify" – Ronald Regan
Behind every great attorney is a great Private Investigator; a trusted, seasoned investigator. The relationship is built on trust, honesty, communication, and confidentiality. A great attorney must be adept at representing clients, filing necessary motions, negotiating issues and gathering facts. And their time is a limited commodity to not be spent frivolously. Clients place their trust, faith and more in the hands of the attorney. An attorney with a professional Investigator having to tools and knowledge on hand to seek and obtain evidence, locate witnesses, conduct the interviews, determine occupancy issues and work the field conducting surveillance more; makes all the difference in your case.
The cost of Insurance Fraud annually is a mind-boggling number. Workers’ Compensation claimants file fake/fraudulent claims every day. Injury claims are fake or exaggerated. There are thousands of claims that need investigation to prove or disprove issues. If not, fraudulent claims are paid out to the individuals committing the fraud until they are caught. In the meantime, money, time and invaluable insurance company resources are wasted. Why wait? Insurance fraud steals millions of dollars every year from the insurance companies and the individuals having true, life-changing, legitimate claims pay the price along with everyone else. Investigators put a stop to it. Fraud awareness must be common practice.
This is an area, like many others, that is handled with care and the utmost confidentiality and trust. The client is seeking truth, proof, and evidence on the actions of others that must be documented. These are most often times, high-stress times for the client who needs direction; someone to go to for help as the stress and pressure of their situations can just be too much to handle. The seasoned investigator can and will help. We can give viable options and solid direction to expedite the issue to a close; or a solution. Let us handle the hard part and put your concerns at ease. We have to tools, the cameras, and the experience to produce the evidence needed. Evidence is needed, and it needs to be done legally. NorthStar has the right overt and Covert cameras and 20+ year investigators who respect and understand the critical and fragile situations of the client.
“Never Confuse Movement With Action”
- Ernest Hemingway
NorthStar conducts surveillance and investigations throughout the state of Florida. We conduct the same throughout the state of New York with our affiliate investigators on Long Island, N.Y.C, and the northern NY region. Why? NY and Florida have been, are and always will be connected. Florida is the vacation capital of the United States and more New Yorkers visit, move to, vacation, retire to or conduct business in Florida; out of New York, and vice versa. Having both ends covered is supremely effective.
Whether conducted for Attorneys, Insurance claims, employers or for infidelity reasons, Surveillance is conducted to seek and provide evidence and proof. The results are never guaranteed; however, this will greatly affect your situation or your case by providing proof of an individual’s activity and habits, document their whereabouts and interactions and determine an individual’s physical capabilities are. And yes, it is worth it. Evidence obtained WILL prevent frivolous lawsuits, unwanted expenses, it prevents valuable time wasted and, in the end, Peace of Mind to move forward.
NorthStar Investigations is a full service private investigative business founded by career investigator, Mike J. Calnan. Beginning his investigative work in 1994 conducting undercover insurance, Workman’s Compensation and private sector investigations for 17 years engulfed within the congested, bustling, fast-paced environment of New York City, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, New Jersey, and CT and covering the state of Florida since 2009. Mike has trained and worked on bodyguard and security details and conducted over 4000 investigations to date and thousands of hours conducting surveillance as well as the managing and training of field investigators and investigative teams on investigation tactics.
Since the beginning, Mike investigated throughout NY & Florida and around the country gaining a savvy respect for the streets, learning the diverseness of individuals and their habits. Despite a lengthy undercover surveillance career, Mike has deemed those training tactics come secondary to simply learning how to “deal with society”; the people. Respect, with the ability to blend in and relate to the surroundings, opens doors to more efficient and effective investigations with results. This allows more safety and a buffer of mutual respect for the investigation to move forward. Mike is well known for his unrelenting passion for investigating, going above and beyond for results and his client communication. Q. Why this is so important? A. Clients hold a very delicate level of trust and faith in an investigator.
NorthStar has over 4000 surveillance and investigations conducted to date for insurance companies, attorneys, worker’s comp, workplace fraud, witness statements, liability, interviews, written/recorded statements and more. To include hundreds of divorce/infidelity surveillance assignments for the Private Sector. We handle all interviews and field service for the insurance and legal community such as Activity/Alive and Well Checks, claimant, and employer interviews and surveillance. All of which done with acute, well developed probing and investigative skills, vital client communication and interviewing skills with witnesses, complainants/claimants and employers with elicit, candid results; well developed organizational skills and attention to detail, records and research and oral presentation under testimony to provide findings in court proceedings and hearings.
NorthStar conducts all investigations while remaining objective in the case. Analysis of gathered evidence and the ability to write concise reports on investigative findings for review by clients, judges, defense attorneys, and prosecutors is vital. Furthermore, the planning and execution of investigations are standard with preliminary in-house research. All of which makes it possible to interact with varied and dynamic clients to provide results and information to support or deny a case.
Unlike the mega investigative firms out there with 100’s of inexperienced field investigators running around investigating files day in and day out working for firms being dubbed “Investigation Factories”, and turning out inadequate results and a reputation for poor quality, a lack of results, experience and proper training on privacy laws, NorthStar Investigators, like Mr. Calnan, provide Career Experience. Results and knowledge from an investigator that has done nothing else but conduct thousands of investigations for what these clients are specifically looking for.
This is 100% full private investigative experience on your case; everyday, every case.
“I have worked with Mike for a few years now. Mr. Calnan is very professional and diligent in his undertakings. He takes assignments personal and truly focuses on the task at hand. You never have to remind him or ask twice, the job gets done right the first time. He is also easy to work with and personable... a joy to work with! Anyone reading this is more than welcome to contact me directly to confirm my review. Best regards Mike!!”
- Darren
Counter Intelligence Services - Investigations, Process, & Security Services
May 2, 2017
“I've known Mike Calnan for some time now, basically since getting into the Private Investigations industry. There are always those individuals that distinguish themselves and stand out; unlike the "regulars." Mike is one of those individuals. With him already having been a veteran in the industry, I saw his work ethic and integrity as that of a true professional who dedicates himself and puts forth 100% effort on the task at hand 24/7..”
- Christian B
NYS Private Investigator
“Mike is always professional. He would show up on time and think out of the box. He did many jobs where we didn't have any solution, but Mike did.”
- Skipp P. [LION]
Eavesdropping Specialist (debugging), President of Sherlock Investigations, Inc.
Have your case info embedded in your head. Review the request and the details thoroughly the day before. You WILL need it all.
Up and out 5AM. No later. Trust me.
When I started it was bulky cameras the size they used on the NFL sidelines, no cell phones; maybe a beeper and a hunt for a dirty NYC payphone with gum stuck to it. Or 2-way radios for the “two man job”. (However, those radios never work underground in the subways!) The team met before the sun came up and put a plan together; addressing as many scenarios that could pop up as possible if we got separated. There was no Google and internet was in its infancy; we used Paper Fold up MAPS and went in BLIND; worked the pavement, worked the streets. That is why the old school field investigators were so good at what we did. We hit the streets and figured it out.
Technology now allows the investigator to be on site before he even gets there; smartphone to research for you. Google to virtually pick out a parking space the night before you get there!! Who knew. You can virtually drive the streets without leaving the office. Social media these days tells investigators a subject’s lifestyle, habits, friends, places, perfect ID photos and more. That’s before you even left the office for day one!!! So there's NO excuse. Back in the day, we had NONE of that. So imagine how we figured it out.
No, you do not. So, put down the cell and stop surfing Facebook. Be ready because it WILL happen that fast. Know what is around. Be Proactive!
Pack for a camping trip. Any seasoned investigator knows that after sitting for hours, the moment you leave or as soon as the FedEx truck pulls up to block your view; your subject will move. IT WILL HAPPEN so focus. And it may take a while of sitting. So, have your cooler stocked and coffee thermos and water full.
Do your clients need Dramamine when they watch a video? Know your equipment and how to use it.
Does it blend into the environment? Your vehicle should not be too clean or too dirty. Get rid of the flashy stuff.
It’s Trial & Error. There's an exception to every rule. Your powers of observation, techniques, skill, patience comes into play. Tailing subjects cannot always be taught; rarely ever. This is a technique learned and perfected over time. Everyone loses a subject at some point; part of the job. It’s how you set yourself up that determines your luck going forward.
The distance you maintain between you and your subject is dictated by traffic and road type. If you keep changing lanes, you might as well call the claimant and shoot flares out your windows. Know vehicle blinds spots. Not too close, not too far. If you can see the subject in his mirror, then he CAN see you! Back Off. Street lights; you have to close the gap to make the light while hiding alongside another vehicle, then fall back casually and gracefully. Try to look like your just another motorist. Are your daytime running lights on bright mode? Please turn them off.