Our concern is your peace of mind

General Info

Personal Bio Tom Smith is a retired Naval Officer with 21+ years of military service. He enlisted in the Navy in 1968 and graduated from the Navy's Underwater Swimmers School in Key West, Florida and then from Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) School in Indian Head Maryland. He went on to serve two tours in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in 1972. During the next three years, Tom became a SCUBA diving instructor at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida then moved to Coral Gables where he attended Miami-Dade College and attained an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts while working for the Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1976, Tom re-enlisted in the Navy and got back into EOD and did a Mediterranean cruise on the USS John F. Kennedy. During the next five years, Tom worked out of Panama City and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and provided VIP support to the Secret Service for presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter. Tom was honorably discharged again in 1980 after achieving "Master Blaster", the highest level of recognition in EOD. He married and then enrolled in Missouri Western State College, graduating in 1984 with a BS in Electronics Engineering Technology. Upon graduation, Tom received employment with General Dynamics in San Diego, California. During the next 12 years, Tom served in the Naval Reserve and received his officer's commission in 1986. Tom has been a resident of the Cedar Rapids/Marion area since 1998. He retired from Rockwell Collins in 2010 and in 2011 fulfilled a lifetime dream to sail the open ocean. He sailed on three different sailboats and covered over 7000 ocean miles including a trans-Atlantic voyage. Tom is a recent graduate of the Detective Training Institute's Master Detective Course in San Juan Capistrano, CA; Front Sight Firearms Institute in Parumph, Nevada; Bail Fugitive Recovery; Cedar Rapids Civilian Police Academy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In August 2013, he became a licensed private investigator and started Patriot Investigations.

HoursCLOSED NOW

Regular Hours:

Mon - Fri	9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sat - Sun	Closed

Contact Info

Phone:

Main - 319-200-6213

Cell Phone - 319-654-4265

Address:

Email:

Contact Us

Other Email:

tmsmith@PatriotInvestigationsiowa.com

Categories

Missing Persons Bureaus, Private Investigators & Detectives, Process Servers, Skip Tracing

Services / Products

Private Private clients are a mixed bag. There is the wealthy client who just wants results and doesn't care about the cost and then there is the woman who never worked outside the home and whose husband just decided that life would be more exciting if he had an affair with his secretary. Both need the services of a PI and both should be treated with the same amount of respect by the PI. Private clients should expect to have to sign a contract but it's not unusual for PIs to work without a contract. They should also expect to pay a retainer in advance as a good faith deposit for the PI's services. Some PIs will demand a large retainer in lieu of a contract. This leaves no protection for the client. Other PIs will want a smaller retainer and work on a pay-as-we-go arrangement. This provides protection for both the PI and the client. What the Private Client Can Expect From the PI The client should be reasonable in their expectations. They should be very specific as to what information they need the PI to obtain within their budget. They can expect the PI to work in a legal and ethical manner and shouldn't expect him to do otherwise. They can expect the PI to work dilligently in gathering the information that is desired. When it comes to expenses, the client should expect to have to pay reasonable expenses like mileage. These expenses can add up, especially in Iowa where there are many miles between towns. A PI might throw in a couple of hours of free time as a favor but don't expect him to pay expenses as well. The client can expect a detailed report in a timely manner but only after the invoice is paid in full. The report is the end product and should be written in a professional way complete with photographic evidence. Regardless of the outcome of the case, the report should make the client feel that the PI performed due diligence in gathering the information for which he was retained. Lastly, the client can expect the PI to treat any private information given to him be held in strict confidence. When it comes to finding a person for the client, the client should expect the PI to be very careful to make sure that the client means no harm to the missing person. What the PI Can Expect From the Private Client The PI can expect the client to define the objective and pay a retainer before going to work. The PI can expect the client not to interfere with the investigation. Especially in domestic cases, the client can be their own worst enemy. The very best way for the PI to get information is that nobody but the client knows he is trying to get it. Interference is grounds for termination of the case and the client shouldn't expect a refund of their retainer. The client shouldn't badger the PI with emails or calls that want him to do this and that. These can be a huge distraction plus the PI can legitimately charge the client for having to take the time to deal with these distractions. Set an objective and let the PI do his job. Lastly, the PI has a right to expect that the client is not misrepresenting himself or the reasons for asking for the information. He can also expect the client to use any information provided in a legal and ethical way. The PI has to protect his license which is the source of his livelihood. Any breach in trust would be grounds for terminating the case. It's really all about trust. A good case will develop mutual trust between client and PI and both will feel well served when it's over. [ General Surveillance / Cheating Spouse / Child Custody / Missing Persons / Boy Friend Checks] Our Services_ Law Firms

Payment Options

check, paypal, cash

Amenities

Patriot Investigations is a general investigative agency with a variety of clients including small business, corporations, retail establishments, and individuals. Our mission is to provide investigative and process serving solutions professionally and confidentially. Not sure if you need a PI? Initial consultations are free and our rates are reasonable and affordable. Give us a call at 319-200-6213 and we'll be happy to discuss your case.

AKA

Patriot Investigation