MEET DAVID KEARNS, MD, EXPERT INVESTIGATIONS

David Kearns, Managing Director is a former Police Field Intelligence Detective.

What did your main role in the Police Service consist of?
My main and longest role was where I specialised as a Field Intelligence Detective. My role within Field Intelligence was to identify what we called ‘travelling criminals', that being those that committed crimes across the Police Force boundaries and where criminals came from other areas of the country.

I served with Warwickshire Constabulary so this could include offenders from motor cycle gangs intent on mass injury and harm, or criminals coming from Birmingham  to commit armed robberies on our rural post offices, criminals who specialise in stealing antiques coming from Nottingham, Portsmouth and Brighton, or dwelling burglars coming from North of our county.
My role would be to identify the offenders and produce operational packages to allow specialist teams such as surveillance units or observations teams to conduct operations to apprehend the offenders.

My skill base was centred on the fact that I was a Detective. I was trained as an expert in gathering evidence, preserving evidence and presenting evidence. I was trained in a specific method of interviewing suspects and witnesses called the PEACE model and I was trained in intelligence gathering including the ability to recruit informants and run informants involved with the criminal fraternity.

All of my work was intelligence led and basically pro-active.

How does that skill base fit in with your role at Expert Investigations?
As the MD, I have taken the Police methods of investigations and brought them to the civil and commercial sector , but I have reduced all bureaucracy and ‘red tape' which means we can react immediately to client's needs, therefore working on ‘fresh intelligence'.

Operationally my role is still similar in that I liaise with the clients, identify the means of operational requirement, such as surveillance, observations, interviewing, back ground enquiries or whatever else and then task the team to conduct the operations.

What is the best thing about being with Expert Investigations?
The freedom to react quickly to clients' needs. Lots of pressure and deadlines but lots of great results.

What has been your most memorable enquiry for Expert Investigations?
Nine years ago we placed an MD under surveillance in London for six weeks. That was surveillance in cars, motorbikes and vans' as usual but also lots of surveillance on and off buses and tube trains and the sheer volume of people made it challenging and enjoyable. 

You have recently been filming for BBC Documentary due for release in mid April. What was that experience like?
Great. I have been part of TV work before for a few documentaries and also ‘Tonight with Trevor McDonald' so I am used to their ways of working but it is great to see inside a profession that you only ever see as a finished product for. I guess we will get about 15 minutes on TV for a few days  of effort.