Francois McKinnon: Welcome to the Miami PI Chronicles podcast. I’m your host Francois McKinnon from McKinnon Investigative Group.
Oscar Santamaria: And I’m Oscar Santamaria of Optimum Investigations. We created this podcast with the goal to educate, inform, and entertain aspiring, beginner, and seasoned professionals in the investigative field. With over 60 years of combined experience, we offer invaluable insights and lessons learned. While we may not have all the answers, our knowledge can certainly benefit anyone interested in this dynamic profession.
Francois McKinnon: So sit back, listen, and enjoy these episodes. Please do not forget to like, share, and follow. Hey Oscar, how is it going?
Oscar Santamaria: Going pretty well Francois. How about yourself?
Francois McKinnon: Great. It has been a long week. This week for the show, Oscar and I compiled a list of what investigators who do surveillance should have in their vehicles or with them at all times. This is not a final list, but it is a very good one. We will have the full list available through email at [email protected]. Oscar, go ahead and walk us through what you compiled.
Oscar Santamaria: Sure. Let us assume that we all have the reliable nondescript car with tinted windows, the cell phone, and the camera. So above and beyond those, every investigator should have a pair of binoculars. Your camera can zoom in but that takes time. With binoculars you can check something instantly. A tripod or a monopod is also essential — for those extended instances where you have a lot of activity and you have to hold the camera for more than five minutes, your arm gets very tired very quickly even with a light camera.
Francois McKinnon: You are right, because if you get tired your shot gets shaky and that is not the product we want to deliver to our clients. One of my favourite things in my gear bag is a J-mount, which is a suction cup that attaches to the window and holds the camera. It lets you pan left, right, up and down with a small bar without ever touching the camera. It gives you the steadiest shot possible and that is exactly what clients are looking for.
Oscar Santamaria: Absolutely. You want your video clear and steady and a monopod or J-mount is going to help with that significantly. Moving on, every investigator should have a power inverter. From time to time you need to plug things into your vehicle — your camera when it starts losing battery, a laptop, all sorts of things. An air compressor is also important in case of a flat tire. Surveillance investigators often pull off to the side of a road on a swale and there are nails and debris that can puncture your tire. Have an air compressor, a Fix-a-Flat, or a tire repair patch kit.
Francois McKinnon: I use those all the time. They cost about ten dollars and all you do is insert them into the puncture and you are ready to go. Add the air compressor and you are back on the road. This happens constantly, even with new cars.
Oscar Santamaria: And the air compressor only works if you have a power inverter to plug it into, which brings me back to how important that is. Also a portable jump starter. When you have things plugged into your vehicle it drains the battery. The last thing you need is to try to start your car when your subject is moving and the engine will not turn over. Jumper cables are one thing, but a portable jump starter is something else entirely. You open the hood, connect it, and your car starts instantly. Time is absolutely of the essence in these situations.
A change of clothes and a couple of different hats are also a good idea. If you follow someone to multiple locations and they keep seeing you, that is a problem. Have some sunglasses, a change of clothes. Living in Florida, people go to the beach, so have shorts, a baseball cap, different eyewear — just enough to change your appearance quickly.
Carry cash. You do not need thousands of dollars but at least twenty dollars. There will be times you follow someone to a flea market or a location that does not accept cards. Or you might need to tip a valet at a hotel or condominium to stay in a spot where you can see the subject coming and going. Cash is still king in some situations.
Water. You are in a car for eight hours in the heat and you need to stay hydrated. And by that same point, something to use as a portable urinal, because the more water you drink the more you will need to deal with that at some point. That is just the reality of this job.
A couple of things that are not essential but come in very handy: a drone. If you cannot get into a gated community you can use a drone to see whether the vehicles are present. I want to be clear that I am not a certified drone pilot and I believe video captured by drone is only admissible in court if the operator is licensed. But for intelligence gathering it is very useful. And finally, an electric scooter. I know that sounds unusual but I did a case recently where the subject got on a scooter and took off down Collins Avenue. In traffic I had no chance of keeping up in a car. A scooter also lets you access pedestrian gates and move around large communities much more quickly than on foot.
Remote cameras are also worth having. When a case is not producing results, deploy a remote camera on continuous mode for up to 16 hours and review the footage later. They cost under $100 and if you lose one it is not a significant loss. I have picked up activity this way that I would have completely missed otherwise.
Francois McKinnon: That is a very comprehensive list Oscar. Now let us shift to what every executive protection specialist should have. I have been doing EP work for 24 years so I will walk through how I personally approach it.
The first thing I always have is a carry-on or duffel bag ready to go at all times. In this business you do not get a second chance, so you have to be ready to travel immediately. I keep a carry-on in the trunk of my car.
A firearm is obviously essential. I carry a 9mm Glock. Travelling with weapons is something a lot of people do not know how to handle correctly. Every airline has different requirements and you need to contact them directly before every trip to confirm exactly what they need from you. Some will accept a small steel handgun case with a combination or double lock but will not allow ammunition in the same box. The rules vary. Delta, American, and a carrier called Legio have all been good to work with in my experience.
The weapon does not go on the plane with you. It goes into a specially designated area in the belly of the aircraft. When you land you have to go to a special services desk to retrieve it. The process is thorough and well-managed, but it takes time and you need to factor that into your planning.
On my right hip I carry the firearm. Behind it I carry an 18-inch expandable baton. The baton is not necessarily for striking — it is for creating distance. In EP work, distance is everything. If someone gets close enough to you they may get to your client. The sound of an expandable baton opening carries weight. It signals very clearly that you mean business.
I use 5.11 tactical shirts for casual dress codes. They look like regular button-up shirts but the buttons are actually snaps. In one motion you can open the shirt and access your weapon or your magazines quickly. It is a well-designed product for this kind of work.
Military-grade pepper spray is always on my left side. It gives you another layer of separation between a threat and your client. I always recommend spray over gel for surveillance visibility — you want to see exactly where it is going when you deploy it. Step to the side, deploy, and an attacker moving toward you will walk right through it. Check your local laws before carrying it.
A bulletproof vest is essential. I use a flexible level four vest made in Hialeah, near Miami. I wear it under a dress shirt and jacket. In South Florida heat that is genuinely uncomfortable, but you power through it. I was in Las Vegas once doing a detail on my birthday — 107 degrees with no humidity — walking around a pool in a vest, tie, and jacket. The guests were staring at me. But it is non-negotiable.
Proper clothing across all scenarios: suits, casual clothes, shorts, running gear, bathing suit. These clients change their minds on a dime. One moment you are at a black tie event and the next they want to go to the beach. If you are not dressed for it you cannot do your job. Some clients also like to run in the mornings, so have running gear ready.
Your PI credentials and firearms license must be on you at all times. When you are doing a protective detail and someone approaches aggressively, showing those credentials immediately often de-escalates the situation.
A valid passport kept in your gear bag at all times. This is non-negotiable. I have seen investigators lose two-week international assignments worth $30,000 or more because they did not have a passport ready when a client decided to travel on short notice. On a private jet the pilots collect passport information before departure. There is no workaround. When they say go, you either have your passport or you lose the job.
Multiple credit cards. American Express is not accepted everywhere in Europe. Always carry a Visa or Mastercard as backup. Some high-end clients may also ask you to front expenses in an emergency — fuelling a yacht or a jet, for example — and you need to have the capacity and the communication channels to handle or escalate that.
Any personal medication you take must travel with you. You cannot count on filling a prescription in another country. Stay healthy so you can protect your client.
On larger details we always have a dedicated medical team member with a full emergency kit. That kit includes an AED defibrillator, trauma supplies, and is customised for the specific detail. We also pre-map hospitals and trauma centres near every location the client will visit in Miami Beach or wherever we are operating. Drive times, blood types, emergency contacts — all of it goes into a binder that is shared with the client before the detail begins. Preparation is everything in this work. If you are not prepared, you are preparing to fail.
Oscar Santamaria: That was extremely informative Francois. I have a friend in EP who is also a big first aid kit advocate.
Francois McKinnon: On the larger details there is always one team member who is emergency medical trained. The kits hook onto the back of a hotel room door and have everything organised in descending layers. They include portable AEDs. It is impressive to see deployed properly. On smaller details where there is no dedicated medic, having basic trauma training and a compact first aid kit is absolutely worth it.
Thank you to all of our listeners for your support. Please like, share, and follow. If you have questions or suggestions for the show or are a PI with a great story, reach out to us at [email protected]. We will see you next week.
This episode is sponsored by the Law Offices of Richard E. Basha and Associates, specialising in all aspects of commercial, civil, business law, and litigation. Located at 401 East Las Olas Boulevard, Suite 1400, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301. For a free consultation call 954-523-4882. For all your investigative needs call McKinnon Investigative Group at 954-513-7414 or email [email protected]. Also sponsored by the Spy Shops in Fort Lauderdale — visit www.spyshops.com. And Ocean Manor Beach Hotel, Fort Lauderdale — call 1-800-995-0444.
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