(sur-va-lents)
Function: noun/verb
Etymology: French, from surveiller, to watch over, from Latin vigilare,
close watch kept over someone or something (as by a detective)

Surveillance is conducted when other investigative methods have failed or cannot obtain necessary evidence through other investigative means. Surveillance can be "static" or "mobile" and can involve one person or a team. Color videotape or photographic stills are obtained, depicting a course of events, to be used as evidence in a civil or criminal action, hearing, or for any other managed dispute resolution. Surveillance can be used in virtually any investigation; however, it is the quality of the operatives that makes the effort a success.

Worker’s Compensation (Sub-Rosa) – Used by insurance examiners and defense attorneys to evaluate the validity of a work related injury claim. Subrosa is often used to confirm the validity of a claim or combat clamant fraud.

General Liability – Surveillance aids in determining the level of injury/incapacitation of a claimant to assist the insurance examiner or their defense council in analyzing the validity of a claim, and potentially to impeach testimony by the claimant/plaintiff at trial.

Counter-surveillance Support – When a non-law enforcement surveillance directed against a client is identified, measures are taken to avoid the surveillance individual or team allowing the client to continue with their lives without interference. Legal and established measures are used to disrupt the surveillance effort against the client.

Team Surveillance Operations – There will be circumstances when one or two agents cannot adequately effect surveillance of a subject. On those occasions, a team of highly trained professionals are put out against the target in order to obtain the information or evidence required by the client.

Child Safety /Visitation Monitoring – Occasionally, surveillance is conducted in the course of a non-custodial parental visitation to ascertain whether the parent is acting in a manner consistent with court directions when court-directed monitoring has been mandated.

Domestic Surveillance – Using a discreet surveillance style, this form is designed to obtain photographic/video evidence of spouses involved in extra-marital activity