Epic Molle Time

Some of y'all will get this, some won't.

View From The Porch: Hats off, please...

From Tam, a blogger I follow:

How many gun designers in the history of the planet have had, say, five completely different, commercially successful weapons to their credit?

The answer is "one".

Go. Read it. Lift yer glasses.

Gear

A while back, I posted here for the curious about the gear we wear on the street. As anyone with a military background can tell you, gear changes. You realize something or another just isn't fulfilling its purpose well enough, or some brand-spanking new thing comes out that you just have to have, even though what it replaces was working just fine. The ALICE gear we had when I first went in the Corps gave way to LBV's, then MOLLE gear, then various iterations of MOLLE gear, and now I've been out for quite a while so I'm not even sure what they're using now except that it's still a PALS-based system.

Some people seem to think they have to have the latest and greatest, just 'cause they like it. These are the same people who get a new car every time their lease runs out, a new computer every year or two even though all they use it for is the Internet, and probably keep up-to date on the developments in the fashion world as well.

Then there are the people who try to use gear as a substitute for knowledge and training. You'll see them decked out in Multicam or ATACS at the range, trying in vain to hit a target 10 yards away with their H&K uber-pistols.

And also, there are those who see no need to ever update their gear. The old stuff is working, so they leave it at that, and refuse to see how some new gear could really enhance their abilities.

Most of us are somewhere between the two extremes. When something new comes out, I take a look and see if I thing it would actually work better for me than what I'm using, and if so I buy it. Likewise even without new gear, I constantly evaluate how my gear is working for me, the way I do things, and if something is sub-optimal I look for something better. New techniques and better training often obviate old gear.

All that said, here's my setup as it currently stands:

(1) is my blow-out kit. Standard contents; look up "blow-out kit" or "trauma kit" anywhere on the Net and you'll find lists galore.

(2) is a .308 AR magazine pouch, which happens to be a great iPhone carrier.

(3) is the same, but carries cuffs.

(4) are, of course, 1911 magazines.

(5) is a GP pouch carrying various necessities.

(6) is an admin pouch with a flashlight holder.

(7) are a couple of these beautiful things. They hold 8 12-gauge shells per side, though in the single AR magazine pouches they're in I can only fill one side. Dummy-corded in, they pull out and can just be dropped after removing the shells.

(8) holds 12 12-gauge rounds.

Also, behind (2) and (3) are two more single AR magazine pouches. One holds a multitool and one holds my radio.

The vest is an armor carrier from Condor Tactical.

New L.A. Crew

Third Echelon Investigations (Fugitive Recovery Unit) has a new crew again. Ronin and myself, along with Reaper, Rookie, Rebel, Diesel, Mad Dog, and Chopper. I'll get them on here shortly to give brief bios.

Expanding into Denver

Third Echelon is now established in Colorado, headquartered in Denver. Ronin was out there earlier this week and interviewed some candidates to work for us out there. With the help of our CO manager (call sign pending), he identified 10 that seem like good fits, and he and I will be there in December putting them through some testing to see who we like. We're planning to hire 2 or 3.

3EI ans 3EIFRU is maki.g some big changes. Standby for breach

Codename Filmboy

Why is it that when I tell someone to open the door after identifying myself they think I will just walk away if they dont?

Todays catch Codename Filmboy, was justa chillin at mommies house. When she arrived back home and we met her and asked her if he was at the apartment, she hasily said no. Yet When I told her she had to open the door and let me search the place she tried to give me some bullshit. F Dat!!!! I told mommy either she let me in or the door goes to the floor. She adamantly told me that I would have to break her door down because she wasn't going to give me access.

Fine moms, on command Beast hit that door so hard that one slap from the battering ram let us right in the place and low and behold there was Filmboy in the kitchen, toast in hand. On went the cuffs and then mommy started to  attempt to keep us from taking him from the apartment. None of this shit went so well. Anyways Filmboy was released and hopefully they have an extra shoe to keep their door shut tonight. Great work Beast and Cuba of the 3EIFRU Crew.  Thanks for moving on notice and performing professionally, following instructions and keeping the situation under control without release. This was not an easy situation but fuck it. Yous guys handled it well.

POW! Proprio Sulla Bocca!!!

3EI locations

In case no one knows. 3EI is based in LA also doing biz in Baltimore, London, Denver, Atlanta and Frankfurt Germant. Also right now my people on the east coast are working us into DC, your Nations Capital!!!!

Code Name Ass Stuffed

Been running down a dope dealing, needle slamming female out of Huntington Beach, CA. A CI who's been giving us info on her and her boyfriend says shes into some extreme kinky stuff. Showed us a pic on cellphone of our victim with an anal plug stuffed up her.........................................ass. Says she's into the BDSM scene. Mind you this one called me a few weeks ago from a blocked number saying she was going to have to Aryan Brotherhood take me out. Well, I'm still waiting for the hit. I'm sick of shoting at paper anyway.

Come get some. POW! Proprio Sulla Bocca!!!

Code Name Ganker

Just got a lead from a LAPD Task Force contact that one of our skips was back in LA. Time to heat up that file again....................

This weeks changes

So, staying busy with cases and crooks. 3EIFRU Show is progressing steadily. I've got a fat ass contract and it's a done deal with Gary and  the camp over at GRB Entertainment. As some of you out there may know, some changes have been made with the crew. I would like to thank the peeps out there that I invested in and now you are gone. Each of you know you weren't truly worth the flesh you are printed on. Thanks for clearing the way for those who are more hungry and polished than yous.....

One another note, I have just returned from NYC, love that city but I'll never move back there. I have an overhaul coming to the 3EI website. Gonna look really good, thanks to Jutin Kovach and my marketing girly Ann Dulaghan. We are also making a new 3EI logo wallpaper for iphone, blackberrys and andriod phones including screen savers. They'll be available via FB and the 3EI website.

Range Day Training w/LAPD Swat Instuctor

3EIFRU Current Events

As many of you know we have chanbged the crew line-up, new mebers of 3EIFRU conssting of Viper, Remy and Beast. With another new possible member Cuba. We've been running and gunning for the last coule of weeks hardcore. New team members are transitioning into the 3EI groove quickly and with finesse. We did some filming for our upcoming reality based show last Friday with the creator of Manhunters and Deadliest Warrior. Two weeks of editing and GRB goes tot he Networks they have lined up. So we'll be on your tv sometime in the near future. Realize 3EIFRU ain't your glowy cops show shit. We ARE the dark end of the street.
We're also running down to high risk skips a 3x doper out of Huntington Beach and a robbery suspect out of Mid LA area. I also got in a new file today on a guy who beat his boyfriend up out of Beverly Hills. Should be an exciting grab. Also, in the 3EI Division I am working on quite a few investigative cases that I'm in the process of wrapping up.

POW! Proprio Sulla Bocca!!!

Range Day

Today was a great day of training for the 3EIFRU crew. Coordinated by Chris Dunn from Covered Six, at a semi-local range, it was nothing ultra-high-speed, but some good re-familiarization for me. Some of it was new to the new guys, but all took to it like ducks to water and moved right along. Everyone needs a little polishing on something, of course.

Then, Sensei's bike conked out and we had to load it in the back of my pickup to get it back to L.A. Finished off the day with some training at the dojo, then back home for a well-deserved evening off.

- Redneck

Filming promo material

Third Echelon FRU spent yesterday filming in Elysian Park. Interviews, closeups of gear, some informal stuff of us all telling stories, and things like that. This is to add to other footage we shot a few months back and put it together into something to show the network executives to sell the show.

It was a bit irritating to be directed. None of us are actors, or want to be, and having to redo things to look better for the camera was a pain. We all agreed in about a half a heartbeat that there will be no direction from the producers when we're on the street.


Anyway, we had a good time, got some good footage, and Redneck came home with a red neck (and face).

- Redneck

Newbs make good

Sensei took Viper and Beast out today and made an arrest on a file we just picked up last night. Third arrest for the new guys. Great work!

In other news, 3EIFRU is filming interviews tomorrow for the show. Watch for it!

- Redneck

Update

It's been busy lately and I haven't been updating this as much as I'd like to, but here's some of what's happened lately.

- I did a solo arrest on a guy down in Norwalk who didn't want to go. We wrestled a bit and he gave in - but it was too late to make it easy on himself, as someone else had already called the Sheriff's Department. They bum-rushed him, choked him, slammed him into the wall, and put my flex-cuffs on him a lot tighter than I would have. And as a result he went to jail with no shirt and no shoes. He's wearing a T-shirt in the pictures because one of the bondsmen standing outside the jail couldn't pass up the chance to get some free advertising inside the jail.

- We lost Jester and Fox, and added Remy, Viper, and Beast to the team.

- Beast and I arrested this one:

- Viper and I arrested this one:

- Sensei, Remy, Beast, Viper, and I arrested this one:

whose original charge was forgery. He had a passport in another name, but luckily we had a good picture from the bondsman. Without the picture (yeah, I'm talking to you, Mr. Don't-bother-to-get-all-the-info-and-a-pic-of-the-damn-defendant. You know who you are), we would have had to leave him there.

- Then we lost King. So the team as currently composed is Ronin, Sensei, Redneck, Remy, Viper, and Beast.

And that was just last week!

Bounty Hunting in the News

First, from Wilson Quarterly. This one starts off with a terrible example, as the guy is an idiot and the case they highlight got him arrested and jailed. And then skipped bail himself! Nonetheless, it'll be informative to anyone outside the industry.

Then, a more scholarly (and a bit drier) article from George Mason University, comparing public (police) and private bail enforcement.

Enjoy!

- Redneck

Cameo Apearance

Ronin and Fox will be making a brief cameo appearance in a small upcoming film called "Slumber Party Slaughter." Watch for it!

- Redneck

Upcoming Week with 3EI

It looks to be a busy week for 3EI and 3EIFRU. We've just had a major break in a sixteen year old murder case I've been working and we are about to  proceed with the spy work. Also, took in three more PI investigations which will keep the crew busy for the next couple of weeks. One of these cases involved is another High-profile Hollywood case.

3EIFRU is also running down two new fugitives: A Korean kid on the run from four years at state prison and another dope dealer on a 600k bond.

On another note, our show with GRB is still being worked on. WE WILL be on a tv near you in the near future.

Watch your six

Another part of the job

Another thing we occasionally do is process service. Most process service is done by Sheriff's deputies, civilian process servers working for the Sheriff's department, or full-time process servers working for or contracted by attorneys. None of them are investigators, though, and some people either evade service. That's when the client calls us. We charge more than any of those other people, but we do a lot more.

So I spent this morning watching a house for a woman who extorted a former boyfriend and shot up a store he owns. It's suspected she frequently goes armed. I never saw her, but we'll try again at a different time of day.

- Redneck

UPDATE: Got her. The client knew where she was hanging out, so we canvassed the area and found her hiding in her car in the dark on the street.

Crystal Meth Kid

Ronin dubbed this one the Crystal Meth Kid, 'cause that's what he uses and sells. And when I say "sells" I don't mean "hooks up his friends sometimes when they're getting low." He had a ton of it on him when we searched him. And probably plenty more in his car, but that's not our concern.

This guy's been a thorn in our side for almost two months.

It's Not The Guns You Shoot, It's the Gun-Slingers You Meet

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend a class with the Stillwater Firearms Association in Fallon, Nevada. I was joined on the trip by a long time friend and fellow operator with the call sign: Ice Man.

What Happens in Vegas... (goes on my blog)

It's been a busy few weeks. Fox and I went up to Vegas the night of March 17th and spent a couple days doing promo photos for Crusader Weaponry, Nightforce Optics, Viridian Green Laser, and Battle Comp. Then we headed to Front Sight for their Four Day Defensive Handgun course.

A good friend from Tennessee, Oleg Volk (a frickin' photographic genius), met us there and did all the photography, and attended the course with us. The pics came out great, as expected. Here's one of me:

Thanks, Mom!

Last week, the night after our hat trick, Third Echelon rolled again on three files. Jester and Sensei were working one file, Ronin, King and I another two.

It was really more of an informational type of night, as we didn't expect to actually arrest anyone, just put some information together and turn up a little heat in the right places. So we rolled around and kicked in doors and just generally sowed hate and discontent,

Fox with the Navy Seals

While the team is back in LA catching other asses, I'm down in San Diego busting my own ass ... working with Navy Seal Team member's, either active or retired.

As part of the CADRE' we provide specialty training for BUDS or SERE in a condensed form for those who are training to prepare to get into Navy Seals or for those who just want to experience what it takes to be a Navy Seal.

The Crystal Meth Kid

So we're running down a guy who was released from doing a stretch of about 45 days in the county for his drug smoking bullshit. He was released frrom county on March 2nd and failed to appear in LA Superior Court on March 5th. There's another guy looking for him on another bond with another company. Just got word today that he'd rather go out "suicide by cop, than go back to jail".

The stakes have just been raised and 3EIFRU dont want to put him down but it is what it is..................................

Hope he realizes this aint no movie................................

Hat Trick

We had a little training at the dojo last night, then rolled out at 2130. Attending were Ronin, Fox, King, Sensei, and myself, the always-lovable Redneck.

First we went to the bond-out address, and learned the bailee had moved a couple months before. But the current tenants knew he was living near a mortuary up the street, and in addition to the yellow Mustang we knew about, the family owned a red Mustang and a white Yukon.

So we located the mortuary and canvassed the area for the cars. It didn't take long to find a red one parked two cars behind a yellow one, and there in a driveway was the white Yukon. So we made entry there and got that guy. No sweat.

So You Want To Be A Bounty Hunter?

Of all the things you could choose to do with your time (and it does take a LOT of your time), working your way into being a "bounty hunter" is a rather unusual task. That makes it pretty well suited to rather unusual people.

This was already going through my head when I started to realize the depth and breadth of involvement and knowledge needed to do this right. And that's when Ronin asked:

So last night (Saturday) King and I were out doing a surveillance in the  koreatown area on the border of Hollywood off of Santa Monica Boulevard. The Subject was a woman who works at a Mexican Bar/Restaurant. We needed to tial her in order to find out where she is currently living at. We started surveillance at about 8:30 PM.

First off when you're on suvreillance you see everything that goes on in the area that most people wouldnt recognize at a glance or just driving through or by. So at about 11PM the venue started getting packed. The hookers in the area were thick on the stroll. I watched em pull over Johns, observed their negotiations, watched em jump in theirs cars and then get dropped off once they were................done? There was one real money maker out there a real hustler. If hooking was digging ditches she'd have dug up the whole block.

Anyways, our Subject rolled about 2:25AM. We followed her over to Park La Brea Apartments off of 3rd near the Grove. Lost her inside of a massive controlled access with security complex.

Saturdays work April 2nd 2011

So half the crew is in Eagle Rock and neighborhood in Central Los Angeles, they're sitting on an apartment of the mother of one of the skips we're looking for, waiting to spot the daughter of the guy we're looking for wanted on dope charges out of Pasadena. Oh wait! well what do you know, Redneck just called in and said they spotted her. Now to wait for mommy and daddy to show their asses and pick the daughter up for a visit. Then.............................POW! Proprio Sulla Bocca

3EI Tv Show

We are currently in the legal process of doing our tv show. We are in talks with a well known production company here in LA with major backing from a few of my personal celebrity clients as well the owner of the production company we're signing with. We now have 5 major networks interested. This is starting to turn into an an exciting experience but until there are cameras with us on the job, its still all locked in that hollywood project limbo.

Stay tuned for the goods. Soon we will release our sizzle reel which was produced by 3EIFRU and our crew producer Chris Bobay of Bobay Productions.

More fists for your eye kids.....................

Why, oh why...

... do bondsmen insist on calling everything a B.O.B??????

Gotta blow off some steam here. A B.O.B. should be simple. One address, maybe 2, and we get the guy. The bondsmen always say it's that simple, anyway. In my opinion, if it isn't that simple it ain't really a B.O.B.

We're after a guy now that got arrested back in December and bonded out. That bondsman B.O.B.'d him and our client bailed him again. (Hello?) I don't know how they conduct business, but apparently his girlfriend did all the paperwork and he never so much as went into the office. He was supposed to go in and do his part later, and never did. He also never made his payments, nor did his girlfriend. So the bondsman waited three weeks before calling us. We got the file Wednesday, and it turns out the last time anyone saw him was Tuesday. Funny how that works.

Now we've put in 30 man-hours or so on this guy trying to track him down and he's a ghost. We've been in his house, and there's no sign that he's ever been there. We've been to his workplace and he's called in sick since Wednesday.

If the damn bondsman had just called us sooner it woulda been a simple pickup. Now they're going to have to pay forfeiture rates on what is still, technically, a B.O.B. Which has brought in no money at all.

Cretins.

On the job with Mr. Foxx. Gonna be a long-ass day.

- Ronin

Butt Neckid!

Out to Canyon Lake the other night (The whole crew: The Boss, Miss M, Master P, Jester, Elvis, and I) to pick up another wife-beater. At his first address he'd moved and the people there knew nothing about him. The neighbor, though, when he got over his fright ("Who's there, honey?" "Some very intimidating law enforcement people."), knew a bit and had heard the guy was living with his parents in Sun City.

Well, we had that address too, so we headed out there. It was a gated community and none of the codes we tried worked. So we left the vehicles parked at the gate, climbed over, and hoofed it across their "recreation area" to the house.

Mom answered the door, and played sick. Man, she was really selling it, too. Leaning on the wall, falling into a chair, it was ridiculous. Told us he wasn't there, she didn't know where he was living, she'd seen him the day before, etc etc etc. All BS. Her husband was a white-trash SOB himself, and the guy's girlfriend (the one he originally went to jail for beating), who claimed to be their daughter.  We didn't buy Mama's story, so we told her we were going to search the house.

Well, she didn't like that very much. She damn near swooned at the idea that we were going to walk through her house, and weren't even going to ask her permission. Then, as I was walking down the hall, Daddy actually called out, "Don't open that door on the left!" Yeah. Really. So what door did I open first? That door on the left, of course. And what did I find there? A dumpy little man (5'11 and 225, but somehow still weak looking), buck naked, sitting on the toilet in the dark.

If he wasn't really utilizing the facilities when he sat down, I guarantee he did when that .45-inch muzzle was in his face!

Then he compounded the embarrassment  (em bare-ass-ment?) by standing around nude trying to change our minds rather than put some damn clothes on. We were about to just cuff him nude and take him in that way when he finally realized he wasn't talking his way out of it.

That turn-in was another pleasant surprise compared to IRC in L.A. Those of y'all who've been around or read old posts will recall our one-minute surrender in Nashville. Well, this one wasn't quite that good; it took about 20 minutes and two forms to fill out.

Then we headed back to L.A.for another guy. I'd been to court on him the week before trying to do an in-court surrender, and he didn't show. He'd been there often enough that the bailiff knew what he looked like, advised me he wouldn't be there, and tipped me that when he was on his meds he was fairly normal, and when off them he was downright nutty.


So we arrived at his address and ended up waking up the whole area, because it was apartments with no numbers on them. When we finally found the one he lived in and were searching it, I opened the bathroom door and out came the biggest damn pit bull I've ever seen. And if he were a big mean pit bull, he'd have been a big mean dead pit bull, because my muzzle was inches from his face and I was beginning to squeeze when it became apparent he wasn't actually attacking, but trying to scare me. Then The Boss pepper-sprayed him and that was pretty much the end of that.


The fugitive, we were told, had gone to New Orleans. That's strange, because the very next day he turned himself in in Los Angeles.


It was a fun night.


- Redneck

Glossary

A brief, non-inclusive list of terms used here in this blog:

1299: The now-expired law stating who can arrest and surrender fugitives.

3EI: Third Echelon Investigations

3EIFRU: Third Echelon Investigations' Fugitive Recovery Unit.

B.O.B.: Bondsman Off Bond. This is when the bailee has not yet had an FTA (See: FTA) but is in some other way not abiding by the terms of the agreement with the bondsman. He could be missing payments, missing check-ins, or the bondsman could suspect he is planning to run. The bondsman has broad authority to revoke the bond and surrender the bailee to the custody of the court.

Bailee: The person out on bond.


Bond-Out Address: The address the bailee gave as his home address on the bond. We have broad authority at that address.

Bondsman: The person who fronts the money to pay a bond.

EP: Executive Protection

FTA: Failure To Appear in court.

In-court surrender: Turning someone over to the custody of a judge in open court. The way this works is we simply let the bailiff know we want to surrender him, and when his name is called (if he's there), they take him into custody. This assumes he shows up.


Indemnitor: A person who co-signs the bond. This person is responsible for making sure the bailee abides by the terms of the agreement, including showing up in court.

IRC: Inmate Reception Center. Where we usually turn in fugitives. See: Twin Towers.

PI: Private Investigator

Surety: A company that backs the bondsman in case of a forfeiture.

Surrender: The process of turning someone over to the government. This is usually done at the jail, but can be done in court or to the coroner.


Twin Towers: The Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail. IRC is here.

WC: Workers' Compensation

- Redneck

Long Night

We (The Boss, Miss M, Master P, Jester, King, and I) rolled last night on a couple different guys. We went first to one scumbag's aunt's house, which we hit last week. She promised then to let us know if she heard anything of him, but then she apparently called some other family member and let it slip that we'd been there looking for her nephew. So we went back to impress upon her the importance of not letting anyone know we were there. She was half in the bag, and emphatically swore she wouldn't tell. That, for the moment, was the end of that.

Then we went after this one:

...and found him in his underwear on the couch. We had to mace his dog to get to the door, which is not my favorite thing to do, but it worked. Then King slipped going over the fence and cut his leg (and brand-new 5.11 pants). Got our guy to the jail and it was a (relatively) quick turn-in, coming in at about 2 hours. While we were there we got a call that our other fugitive had called his aunt and told her he was arrested. Checking the sheriffs' websites, I found him in Kern County, sho 'nuff in custody. So all that was required was what's called a "paper surrender" or "in-jail surrender." That's where we surrender a bailee on his bonds when he's already in custody. The outcome is the same as if we arrested him ourselves. So I called Kern County to confirm we could do that, and got the nod. Master P and I headed up to Bakersfield.

We arrived at around 0500 and headed straight to the jail. Master P laid on the charm, but to no avail. You can't do an in-jail surrender on an L.A. County bond at a Kern County jail, even though that's where the person is in custody. We're going to have to wait for him to be arraigned in Kern County, sentenced, then brought back to L.A., where we can surrender him. Did I mention that I confirmed on the phone that I could do it? Yes, I did. But the person on the phone, apparently, was a moron.

Finally got back to L.A. at around 1100 and crashed at the dojo. Or tried to. My phone kept waking me up. We now have an assist from the DEA on another fugitive, because they're interested in a family member. Their resources are much more extensive than ours, so we should have that one wrapped up in fairly short order now.

So now I'm sucking down Starbucks espresso and blogging, and looking forward to hitting the rack tonight at home.

- Redneck

There is none so blind...

Got the call last Friday afternoon to head down to Vernon and arrest this guy on a B.O.B. No problem, thinks I, and jumps in his truck and heads to the guy's workplace in Vernon. A brief stop on the way to pick up another fugitive file, and there I was.

The management didn't want to take me to him, and the place was too big to go walking around searching, but they were helpful enough to show me the car he rode in, and I waited on that. Eventually he came out (not through the door they said he'd use) and approached the car.

The arrest went smoothly, no resistance, and his wife was right there to collect his property and save me a little paperwork and him a little hassle at the jail. OK, on to IRC.

Got all the paperwork done and in order and submitted it to the clerk. Then the trouble started.

A little background. There's a California law (Penal Code section 1299) that specifies who can surrender a fugitive. It includes several categories of people who can do this, one of which is Private Investigators. A later section requires that people in some of those categories (but not Private Investigators) must have certain certificates of certain required training. A Private Investigator's license covers all employees of the licensed PI. Thus, I was surrendering the fugitive under a valid CA PI license. Which means (if you care to read the law) that I am not required to have those certificates. None of that really matters, though, because the law expired January 1st 2010, and until they pass another one no-one needs any certificates whatsoever. Just authority from the bondsman to surrender on that bond. Which of course we had.

Well, there is indeed none so blind as he who will not see. The clerks at IRC know only that bounty hunters must have their certifications. Explaining the law to them didn't help. Explaining that the law no longer applied didn't help. Getting the Watch Commander to print out the law herself, see plainly what it said, and speak to the Head Clerk (who is apparently only one step from God Himself) didn't help, because the Watch Commander simply deferred to the Head Clerk's assertion that bounty hunters must have their certifications.

Never mind that I've turned fugitives in there before. "The Head Clerk Says" seems to be their mantra. So I called The Boss, who came down to see if he could resolve the situation. No dice, and they actually called a few deputies in as if to arrest me for making a "false arrest" of the fugitive. The Head Clerk Says. Never mind that The Boss has turned fugitives in there before. The Head Clerk Says. Never mind that the law was plainly written and easy to understand. The Head Clerk Says.

It almost got ugly.

Eventually they accepted the guy on his warrants, but not on the bonds. So the bondsman had to go down later and surrender him on the bonds. Now, we're probably going to have to go take a completely unnecessary class that covers insurance code stuff, just to continue to do what the (expired) law stated we could already do, which we've been doing for months!

- Redneck

Lesson Learned:

The bread and butter of the typical private investigator consists of two main types of cases: spousal infidelity and/or workers' compensation fraud. We're far from typical, but we still get some of these cases from time to time.

One infidelity case just wrapped up Wednesday night. What makes this case somewhat unique is what I learned from it. For several weeks we'd been letting the client call the shots, according to her suspicions of when he was cheating and with whom. We were burning up her money getting nothing. Wednesday afternoon we finally told her to just let us handle it our way, and she agreed.

I tailed the guy to a restaurant and got the incriminating video inside and outside, then tailed the woman to her residence to identify her. Turned out it was the same woman he'd been cheating with last year. I can't really say the client was happy, but she was more than satisfied with our work.

- Redneck

Promo Stuff

We've been shooting a promo video for the upcoming reality show. Above are the weapons laid out prior to a scene we did in a parking garage. The scenario was three guys in a car entering the garage, and we arrested all three.

This promo video is staged, of course, because the camera crew doesn't want to roll with us for real until some insurance issues are settled. It's fun, but a little irritating to keep repeating all the action until everything goes just right.

Then Wednesday we rolled out to Burro Canyon, a local shooting range (if "local" includes BFE), and shot some training scenes and some brief interviews.

Saturday is more filming, this time entry stuff. A former client and current friend of the company has agreed to let us break down her door for the scene.

- Redneck

A quick quip to educate youse..........

It should be understood, acknowledged and appreciated that not only 3EIFRU but all (professional) Fugitive Recovery agents are a godsend. Most people have no idea how the bail process works or the power a bail bondsman or recovery agent has. This includes the PD. My crew and I put our lives on the line daily to go out into the roughest areas of this country to recover individuals who are wanted for serious crimes. Understand that just because an individual was bonded out for driving suspended doesn't mean that they haven't or don't commit more serious offenses against society. It's been my experience that the ones bonded on less serious charges are the ones that that try to run and shoot at you. We go out and proactively find these individuals at no expense to the tax payer. More effective than the PD? Most def.

Went into court today and did an open court surrender on a defendant, 3rd strike, assault with a deadly weapon, gangbangin' out of Compton, CA. Another one off the streets, y'all.

Av Frank, we're coming for that ass

New Day, new post kiddies. It appears that one of the scummy scum scumbags wanted out of Orange CO is holed up in the foothills of AZ. This sorry sap unfortunately has a nephew who is scared of us and is taking us to his monkey ass. See you soon Frank, 3EIFRU is a comin. I hear you're out there with a 308. rifle and a bow...................Hmmmmm - hope you're prepared to use 'em. Dead or alive you're coming with us.

Weds Jan 19th

So we've been tracking the vehicle of a girl who has 3 kids with the guy currently on our return to custody list. He's wanted in LA County on an attempted murder charge. We recently made contact with the baby's momma who claims she hasn't seen old boy since 10-01-10. According to the old boy's fam, he disappeared on this same day and the baby's momma supposedly moved back to Georgia with the kids to her parents house. .........Bullshit. We've recently tracked the baby's momma back to old boys parents house where she is currently staying. Like I surmised, somebody is lying.

Found out today from LAPD Detectives that old boy is wanted by the Mexican Mafia. For what, who knows. Det also told me they found heroin in his house in the past. Now, old boy lives with mommy, 3 sisters, stepdad, lil' brother and his baby's momma with 3 kids of their own. We've had 48 hours of surveillance on them and none of them have legit jobs. I know that old boy is around. He's not smart enough to hide like someone who doesn't want to be found should hide. During our surveillance we have located some new addresses that the mommy and baby's momma have been going to. Tonight, we pay grandma a visit. Hope she's got her depends on......................................................

Introduction

Welcome to the ongoing account of the activities of the team members of Third Echelon Investigations and its sub-units.Third Echelon Investigations is a full-service investigations, security consulting, personal protection, and fugitive recovery firm.

My name is Dave, but you can call me Redneck. You can find my other blog, Modern Mike Hammer, over in the sidebar, but I'll likely cross-post all that over here anyway. We can't always comment on everything we do, and we certainly can't give all the details, but we usually can tell enough to keep it interesting.

From me and some of the other team members you'll see a running commentary on some of the things we do, and from the firm's owner, Jeff Monteith, you'll see content relating to the conduct of investigations and related items of interest.

Comments are always welcome.