About the Author

Dave Amis has been a Texas PI since 2019.

He specializes in financial crimes, surveillance, and “difficult situations.” He also helps new PI’s to get started through training and mentoring.

Previously Dave was a Reserve Sheriff’s Deputy, a Colorado Ranger (armed S&R), a Colorado Private Investigator, and a Police Academy Instructor. Dave’s business background includes Series 7 and 21 licenses, roles at Deutsche Bank and venture capital firms in the USA, UK, and Germany, and advisory roles with four super-wealthy families. He is the author of books on finance and serial predators. He is the owner of Strider Investigations, where he created the “SPIT” private investigator training program.

How I Became a Private Investigator

When I became a PI, I was frustrated with the kinds of training available. Training is the key to success in any operational role, from special operations to police to private investigations.

As a former Reserve Deputy Sheriff, I had experienced over 600 hours of police academy training and over 200 hours of FTO training plus a variety of specialized courses – about a thousand hours in my first year. It seemed to me that the PI profession needed the same thing. But it didn’t exist.

So here’s what I did. I decided to create my own private investigator certification program – just one PI certificate made by me, for me. How would I earn it? By taking any and all cases offered to me for one year. And that’s what I did.

I eventually worked for three different Texas PI’s and two attorneys, one for as little as $15/hour. Sometimes I worked for free. Twice I didn’t get paid, and one time I located and recovered a missing high school girl whom I found in an apartment with two men and got a measly $260. But I ended up on a variety of cases and had a great year. Here are the cases I worked during that year. Did I earn my private investigator certificate? You be the judge.

  • Check Fraud x1
  • Workmen’s Comp. x5
  • Attempted Murder x1
  • Assault x2
  • Infidelity x10
  • Sexual Assault x2
  • Armed Robbery x1
  • Corporate x2
  • Domestic Violence x2
  • Civil Lawsuits x2
  • Stolen Vehicle x2
  • Real Estate Fraud x1
  • Missing Persons x2
  • Counter-Surveillance x1

The only case I refused was a sexual assault against a child. I was asked to interview the child. I couldn’t do it. But I respect those who can. Everyone deserves a defense.

After all of this, I decided to start my own school for PIs because I saw first-hand how tough it is to get started. Come to “SPIT” School (Strider Private Investigation Training) if you want my help. But no matter where you go for training, just get started. It’s the best job in the world.

–Dave Amis, StriderPI.com