 By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger In mid-July, the 17th Judicial District Adams and Broomfield Counties District Attorney's Office sent Thomas Mills a letter informing the Colorado process server that former Denver Sheriff's Deputy and Defendant, Brett Carbone --the man who pointed a gun at Mills during a Commerce City serve--- was found guilty of felony menacing charges and sentenced to 1 year probation, 100 hours of community service and fines. See also: Are process servers safe, part 1? and Felony Menacing charge issued to the Denver Deputy who pulled a gun on a Colorado private investigator. Carbone is "no longer with the Denver Sheriff Department," according to City and County of Denver Sheriff Department Communications Director, Daria Serna who did not provide additional information, however when he pulled a gun on Tom Mills late last year, he was an off duty Sheriff's deputy being served papers for a late bill that was less than $200. Was termination of employment and community service a sufficient penalty and rehabilitation measure and has the court taken action to ensure the incident will not just recur the next time an unlucky process server happens to knock on Carbone's Commerce City door? In a phone conversation with 17th Judicial District's Chief Information Officer, Sue Lindsay, I was assured that Carbone will indeed undergo a "mental health evaluation and anger management." Lindsay also explained that Carbone will be charged for the probation expense which the court itemized at $2400. A more extensive interview with Lindsay is be forthcoming and hopefully details like the $2.50 "genetic testing service charge" will be clarified. In the follow up interview, which will be done over email and perhaps a follow-up call, Lindsay will also address my questions regarding the resources that will be allocated to Mills for treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as Mills now suffers from the condition as a direct result of being threatened at gun point. Do you have questions for Sue Lindsay or for Tom Mills (who I will interview later this week)? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You can also comment on the Twitter feed or Facebook page and all relevant questions will be forwarded.
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By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger The only reason I haven't seen "RBG," the documentary about Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg a second time is because of how much I enjoyed watching it the firsttime. Wouldn't it be a better idea to rewatch after I've seen her biopic, "On the Basis of Sex" starring Felicity Jones which premieres in December 2018? Since discovering the Colorado Women's Bar Association (CWBA)'s upcoming "RBG" screening at Sie at the end of August, however, I am reconsidering. If I wait until after I see the biopic to see RBG a second time I will miss the amazing lineup CWBA has slated for their post-screening discussion on Monday, August 27th. The screening takes place at Denver's Sie Film Center and will include a discussion moderated by Colorado Supreme Court Justice, Melissa Hart. Judge Sandra Rothenberg (Ret.), Senior Judge, Colorado Court of Appeal; Rep. Jessie Danielson (D), Legislator; Speaker Pro Tempore of the House; Colorado General Assembly; Denise Maes, Esq., Public Policy Director of the ACLU of Colorado and Professor Catherine Smith, University of Denver Sturm College of Law will serve as panelists. Whether you've seen the movie once, twice or three times already, it is unlikely you'll find a more dynamic discussion forum this side of the Mississippi than the one the CWBA has organized. Directors Betsy West and Julie Cohen did a great job of looking at the roles support figures in her personal life play and characters ranging from her husband Marty to her personal trainer make entrances and exits that counterpoint the pivotal cases of her legal career trajectory. Because of the high ticket price of $75 ($74 for film society members) I will still, most likely, have to skip out on this particular networking event, screening and panel discussion. In the price tag's defense, however, the money will go to support the organization's work in public policy. According to the website, public policy includes includes promoting women "As Lawyers," "On the Bench," "In the Legislature" and "In Our Community." Regardless of the merit's it may keep the program off limits to a lot of the legal industry support staff. If, like me you live on a tight budget and are already a Sie member, RBG plays at Sie through August 2nd and is only $6.00 for member matinees. If, on the other hand, you find yourself craving pop corn, airco and legalistic edification in late August or you are an ambitious legal investigator, process server or legal admin looking for the vertical or lateral career opportunity, this may be the perfect close to your summer. The screening takes place August 27th at 7:00 p.m. at 2510 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80206. Cocktail reception at Sie Film Center's Henderson's Lounge starts at 5:30 on August 27th. Tickets are here.
By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger DENVER - Denver Pride Festival, took place June 16th and 17th at Denver's Civic Center Park and Denver Police Lieutenant, Michael Wyatt whose role as LGBT Liaison to the police was formally established in June of 2017 answered a few questions about his new role as liaison between the Denver Police and the Pride event organizers. The Denver LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Community Center, the organization producing Denver Pride Fest annually hires private security and private detectives to assist with the Denver's Civic Center event celebrating community, family and culture however a recent spike in biased motivated crimes occurred leading up to the march. No biased related crimes were reported during the event however in late May, Dylan Payne, 24, was arrested for stabbing Chris Huizar, 19, and Gabriel Roman, 23, while they were walking home from Denver's Church nightclub on Sunday, May 27, 2018 in a hate crime and unfortunately targeted crime like this is on the rise in Denver.
Wyatt declined to detail heightened surveillance measures during the event however, he said his role police liaison to the LGBT community included accessing whether or not threats coming in from people hostile to the LBGT Center and community needed to be forwarded to the Denver Police Department detective unit.
Wyatt's more prominent role was coordinating a unit of allies in the police department who showed their support for the local LBGTQ community by participating in the parade. It is about more than just a parade, though. Citing the historic Stonewall nightclub tragedy happened in 1969 in New York City, Wyatt acknowledged that relationships between police and the LGBT community has not always been a harmonious one. Although Wyatt himself has been out for twelve years and his sexual orientation has never been a problem in the Denver police force, "we still live in a time when a certain segment of our society faces harassment, intimidation, and assault simply for being “who they are," he points out. This was reinforced by his acknowledgement that, "leading up to PrideFest we did have some Anti-LGBTQ motivated violence and property crimes. Arrests were made in both the violent incidents." To counter balance this, Wyatt has brought the Safe Space initiative to Denver. Originally started in Seattle it is a movement to involve the community in protecting LGBT citizens from hate crimes by posting a safe haven sticker outside of a business establishment. 
Any business, including private investigator firms, wishing to participate can display a “DPD SAFE PLACE” sticker in their business window. A clearly visible DPD SAFE PLACE sticker in their window, lets everyone know they are a participant and that their business will provide a safe place for victims of any crime while waiting for the arrival of police and that the business/employee will call 911 or assist the victim in calling 911 and encourage the reporting of this crime.
If you want the community to know that you that you share the belief that all people should be given assistance when being victimized or harassed, go to dpdsafeplace.com and register to participate. The program is limited to businesses and does not include private residences. By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger In case you didn't know, May 1st is Law Day and if you're not sure how to plan the day holiday that's been on the radar since Dwight D. Eisenhower's time, check out the Colorado Bar for events being hosted at libraries, court houses schools, television stations, community centers and press clubs throughout the country. The 2018 Law Day theme is "Separation of Powers" and while it may be too late to order Separation of Powers swag from the American Bar there is still time to reflect on the role private investigators play in the legal process and geek out on the holiday's kooky history. "The desire to suppress the celebration of May 1, or May Day, as International Workers’ Day aided in Law Day’s creation" according to History.com May Day had communist overtones in the minds of many Americans, because of its celebration of working people as a governing class in the Soviet Union and elsewhere.May Day had communist overtones in the minds of many Americans, because of its celebration of working people as a governing class in the Soviet Union and elsewhere." So in addition to the Jackson Pollack and Apollo Program, we can thank the Cold War for creating Law Day. On Wednesday, May 02, 2018 you can stop by CB & Pott's in Greenwood Village, located at 6575 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village, CO 80111 at 6:30 P.M. for a Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado training session and drone flying refresher with Jason Downing. (Please note the fang toothed, multi propellor drone pictured below --taken right before I almost crashed into the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Boettcher Concert hall-- will not be the one used in Wednesday's training and demo.)  Want to learn some FBI history over Old Fashioned? Stop by the oldest press club in the country on Thursday, May 10 at 6 PM for a Fireside Chat featuring Sandra Windsor whose memoir, “FBI Wife” explores what it’s like to live next to big moments in history. She will be talking about what it's like to hold a family together with a partner engaging in headline events starting with the JFK assassination and continuing on through to her husband's untimely death as he headed north to investigate a white supremacist group in Laramie. Then on Saturday, May 19th at the Parker Public Library in Parker, Colorado there will be a 9:30 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Detecting Deception workshop with private security professionals John Bocker and John Clark. Workshop will focus on interview techniques and PPIAC members can attend for $99. Learn how to be better prepared and pick up non-verbal queues. Training will include food, beverages and workbook materials. Library is located at 20105 East Mainstreet, Parker, CO 80138. By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger Near the end of the first act of Hamilton, as anyone familiar with the musical and American military history already knows, the Battle of Yorktown turns the tide for the Continental Army, led by General George Washington and wins the decisive victory against the British Army, led by General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Alexander Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette both played critical roles in cinching the Yorktown victory however a New York tailor named Hercules Mulligan also played a prominent role in the victory by obtaining British intelligence that enabled the Continental Army to plan, in advance, for the attack.  When Alexander Hamilton asked Mulligan to help him obtain British intelligence for General Washington, Hercules Mulligan's fashionable tailor shop, which catered to wealthy British businessmen and high ranking British officers, was well positioned to charm proprietary intelligence out of his British customers. Performed by actors Lin-Manuel Miranda and Okieriete Onaodowan in the original broadway musical, Alexander Hamilton and Hercules Mulligan sing in hip-hop infused rhyme explaining, Hamilton How did we know that this plan would work? We had a spy on the inside. That’s right, Hercules Mulligan! Mulligan A tailor spyin’ on the British government! I take their measurements, information and then I smuggle it!  To get more context I visited several secondary sources online including the CIA's Hercules Mulligan tribute that explains, "When General Washington mentioned to Alexander Hamilton, now Washington’s aide-de-camp, that he was looking for a spy on the inside within New York City, Hamilton recommended his old friend Hercules Mulligan. Hercules excitedly agreed." The CIA's biography (written by an uncredited author) goes on to explain that "Hercules continued to provide service for British officers, collecting their measurements and secrets alike" as mentioned in the musical. The fashionable tailor, unbeknownst to his customers was also an active member of the Sons of Liberty organization and strategically and deliberately "played to the officer’s vanities, stroking their egos to elicit statements of speculation. When officers requested repairs to their uniforms, he would ask the date they needed them back. When customer after customer gave the same date, he could surmise the day of their next movement. He would then dispatch his African-American slave, Cato, to Washington’s headquarters in New Jersey to share the information on the redeployment of a particular unit." Mulligan's African-American slave, Cato is among many slaves who --with the exception of Sally Hemings-- went unmentioned in the musical, however it is clear from the several secondary accounts I reviewed, Mulligan succeeded because he did not operate in isolation but with a support team of equally courageous individuals. This team consisted also consisted of his wife, Elizabeth Sanders who was the daughter of a Royal Navy admiral and gave him access to officers who would talk about military matters, according to Revolry. Frances Mulraney's Irish Central article claims Mulligan "met his customers at the front door and personally took taking their measurements despite his own social stature. Mulligan often offered a glass of whiskey to keep conversation flowing. With the help of yet another team member --his brother Hugh Mulligan, who supplied him with information on British supplies and shipping schedules through his work with the British commissariat in New York-- Mulligan learned of two separate plots to capture George Washington. Each time he was able to warn Washington before the plots could bear fruit." Gil Troy's Daily Beast article reiterates this, portraying Mulligan as " a discrete but silver-tongued Irish immigrant in New York City, who prospered as a haberdasher, tailoring garments for colonial aristocrats and British officers. He was also a member of the Sons of Liberty, and his passion helped recruit Alexander Hamilton to the Revolutionary cause. His work also happened to make him a great, meaning oft-overlooked, spy." According to Thomas Fleming's Journal of the American Revolution article, Less well known is the story of a working class Irishman, big hearty Hercules Mulligan. He shocked his American friends by welcoming the red coated British regiments when they captured New York in 1776. A skilled tailor, Mulligan was soon making money outfitting British officers and wealthy Americans who had remained loyal to the king. Beyond the city limits, Americans shook their heads. Who could believe Mulligan had become a traitor? He had seemed to be a fervent patriot. Mulligan still was, but only a few people knew it. One of these insiders was General George Washington. Another was Washington’s aide, Colonel Alexander Hamilton, who was a close friend of Mulligan. Throughout the war, the Irishman was one of America’s most valuable spies. Among other things, he warned Washington of a well-organized British plot to kidnap him." After the war, Washington stopped by tailor shop, had breakfast with Mulligan and pronounced him a "true friend of liberty" before commissioning his first civilian wardrobe. Shortly after, the sign to Mulligan's 218 Pearl street (then 23 Queen street) tailor shop read “Clothier to Genl. Washington." When I google mapped the address of the location that once housed Hercules Mulligan's New York tailor shop. This is the image that came up:  When I arrived at the Buell Theater early the mood was giddy with Denverites about to see Hamilton for the first time. Then I opened the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Applause program to discover yet another local overlap. The actor who plays Hercules Mulligan in the traveling show (which performs at the DCPA through April 1st) Mathenee Treco, is a returning Denver local!  If you are a Denver based private investigator heading to the the Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex (located at 1101 13th street in Downtown Denver) to see Hamilton before it closes on April 1st be sure to raise a glass to Hercules Mulligan, performed by Mathenee Treco, along with the rest of history's un or under acknowledged covert military operatives. And I do recommend you go. Seeing Hamilton is kind of like watching the hidden blueprint of our hardwired political, social and emotional identity rolling out onto a folding table. It is also inspiring, humbling and insanely humanizing in a way that leaves you inspired to push to becomes more than what you are. Private investigators, surveillance operatives, background check detectives, personal injury attorneys and fraud investigators alike will identify with this uniquely American but also very universal story about the immigrant founding father who built the legal system that we support in our professional lives. Yes, tickets to see "Hamilton" in Denver are expensive and difficult to obtain. It took me five tries with the box office to get tickets I could afford, however the lottery also enables you to try for $10 orchestra tickets everyday. Additional information on the lottery is available via the DCPA website. By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger If you've been following Denver's Amazon bid, you already know Denver one of a twenty of mid-sized cities being considered for Amazon's new headquarters (HQ2). If selected, the online commerce giant would bring 50,000 new high paying jobs to the city of Denver along with some notoriety. In October, Amazon Studios chief Roy Price resigned over sexual harassment allegations. In 2015 The New York Times called Amazon a "bruising workplace" where "workers are encouraged to tear apart one another’s ideas in meetings, toil long and late (emails arrive past midnight, followed by text messages asking why they were not answered) and held to standards that the company boasts are “unreasonably high.”" Recent race discrimination, gender identification discrimination and pregnancy discrimination charges indicate the juggernaut's local presence would mean ample opportunities for Colorado employment lawyers, should the mile high city make the final cut.  With or without Amazon's HQ2, Colorado's robust tech industry will continue to expand and abuses of power will continue to create new opportunities for private investigators who are employment litigation literate. Given the landscape, next week's Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC) training seminar, How PI's can Assist Employment Attorneys, looks like a worthwhile way to spend a Wednesday evening in early February. Disclosure: I am a PIAC service member and gave a training seminar last fall. David Miller, Esq will give the free training seminar on Wednesday, February 7th, 6:30 pm - 8:30 at CB & Pott's, located at 6575 Greenwood Plaza Blvd in Greenwood Village, CO 80111 Networking begins at 6:00. Additional Amazon references:
By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger In a story that hopefully shed's more light on the challenges Colorado private investigators face, 9News' Kyle Clark and Anastasiya Bolton reported that Denver Sheriff's deputy Bret Martin Carbone, has been charged with felony menacing after a Nov. 6 incident that occurred when Carbone pulled a gun on licensed private investigator, Tom Mills at Carbone’s Commerce City home in Adams County. The incident, which was also reported by The Denver Post's Tom McGhee, occurred when Mills knocked on Carbone's door. The earbud wearing, NASA t-shirt clad man who opened the door said his name was "John" and he was just at the house to look after the dogs. That was a lie. 
Sensing he smelled a rat, Mills returned to his car and used Facebook to verify that the earbud wearing, NASA t-shirt clad guy at the door was not a guy named "John" and that he was, indeed, Bret Carbone. Mills then returned to Carbone's house --which is located on the 11800 block of Granby Street, according to a17th Judicial District Attorney's Office news release--- to, once again try and serve the papers, which, by the way, were for a debt of only $150. 
This time, the earbud wearing, NASA t-shirt clad man opened the door with a black handgun pointed directly at Mills. "Get off my property," growled the Denver Sheriff's Deputy!
Although Mills later described the experience to 9News as scary one ---and he is now considering quitting the industry as a result of it-- Mills nevertheless managed to serve those papers to Carbone who is now scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 19, 2017. Meanwhile, the Denver sheriff's department has put their Denver deputy on investigatory leave. The take home? What --besides the obvious, good thing he was wearing a video cam-- do you think? Have you had a similar experience on the job? What measures do you take to protect yourself when serving papers?  By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger The day was overcast and unseasonably warm. The staff of Colorado's Judicial Center was professional and friendly. "That's actually a job?" the front desk receptionist asked when I handed the business card listing my title as the "Denver Private Investigator Blogger," over the round, dark wood receptionist table. Indeed it is, I explained and could I schedule a meeting with Attorney General, Cynthia Coffman or one of her media representatives to discuss Rule 8.4 C? Following its September 28, 2017 announcement, I've only heard shocked and horrified responses from the private investigator community. Jesse Paul's Denver Post article stated "lawyers can now engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation when advising law enforcement officers, investigators or clients during lawful investigative activities. The Colorado Attorney General’s Office says they can’t personally conduct such subterfuge, but can supervise those actions." Let that sink in. Attorneys ---the ones who hire private investigators to interview witnesses, obtain evidence and investigate cases--- can now outsource the sordid and insidious tasks of committing fraud and acting deceitfully to the private investigators who depend on those attorney's assignments in order to make payroll!!
 Future posts will explore the question of how much pressure a client can put on a private investigator to push legal boundaries. I'll be interviewing a wide range of Colorado legal industry professionals. I shall also continue trying to get through to Coffman's office or get referred to another Colorado government official who can help clarify why this rule seemed necessary to ensure safety and justice in Colorado. Is there is someone you think I should speak with or interview? Please leave a message in the comments below or notify us via Facebook or Twitter. 
By Susanna Speier
Denver Private Investigator Blogger What goes into being a 21st century Watson? Find out October 4, 2017 at a free training seminar. The seminar will be hosted by the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC) at the Denver Press Club (DPC) in Downtown Denver. When people ask me about my primary freelance gig blogging and curating social media communities for a private investigator, they sometimes get confused. "You're a private investigator?" they ask, trying to clarify. "No," I respond. I am not a private investigator. I blog for one.” I am the only member of the almost twenty person team comprising Ross Investigators who is not licensed to practice in the State of Colorado. My job as blogger and social media engagement strategist for the Denver, Colorado based PI firm does not require a license from the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. In fact, the service I provide --writing and publishing-- is protected by the 1st amendment. Because The Denver Private Investigator Blog is a trade publication, I serve a readership consisting of private detectives, security professionals, surveillance operatives, lawyers and legal private investigators who practice in the State of Colorado and nationwide. My readers are mostly private investigators. That said, the private investigator field encompasses a wide range of professionals and expertise. My readers run asset searches, public records searches, witness interviews and help with criminal defense. They fly drones, do accident investigation, responsible party identification and provide custody case assistance. Some do security and other do surveillance. A lot of them have police, legal and military backgrounds. But back to this conversation I always end up having when someone asks what kind of freelance writing assignments I take on. Explaining how a 2017 private investigator firm functions and what PIs do still isn't necessarily sufficient for people still struggling to grasp what my daily functions are. Enter, the Sherlock and Watson metaphor. "I am Watson---not Sherlock," I finally learned to explain. "As a modern day Watson ---sans firearms training and military background-- I blog and do social media engagement for a private investigator firm." They'd get it almost immediately. " 
On Wednesday, October 4th at 6:30 p.m. fellow PPIAC members, DAC members and members of the legal, private investigator and journalism community are invited to attend my free blogging and social media for private investigators training seminar at The Denver Press Club.
Although the training runs 6:30 to 7:30 attendees are encouraged to arrive at 5:30 to try the "Gumshoe" cocktail that the club bartender, Zack is shaking up for the occasion and network in the Press Club's historic landmark building in Downtown Denver. The Denver Press Club is located in at 1330 Glenarm Place, Denver, Colorado 80204. It is the oldest press club in the country. Street parking is available and there are three public lots within a block of 13th and Glenarm. This will be the first PPIAC event hosted at the Press Club. You can RSVP here. By Susanna Speier Denver Private Investigator Blogger This summer, the Denver Private Investigator's Blog made the PI Now list of top private investigator blogs!! It ranked 4th place after Brian Willingham's Diligentia blog (which ranked #1), Pursuit Magazine (which ranked #2 and with whom the Denver Private Investigator Blog has a content partnership) and Guns, Gams & Gumshoes (which ranked 3rd). We are honored to have The Denver Private Investigator Blog: Mile Hi PI featured among so many other informative and well renowned online publications. PI Now's rating system was based on the premise that the private investigation blogs most worth your time contain the following criteria: they are readable and interesting. The website is accessible and easy to navigate and the content is relevant and regularly updated.  Meanwhile, as summer winds down and we all dust off our nonexistent fedoras and shake out our trench coats, plans for the Rocky Mountain region private investigator conference are currently underway. The Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC) conference starts tomorrow, Thursday, September 14th and runs through Saturday, September 16th at Denver Marriott in Westminster and you can still get tickets. The conference will include an optional class 8:00 - 5:00 pm class with certified forensic interviewer, Brandon Perron which begins on the 14th. There will be also be a fraud investigation workshop with Richard Brooks a Russia investigation workshop with Anastasiya Bolton and an ethics workshop with JP Moore. Andy Kindred, Joe H. Dickerson, Brandon Perron, Jeff Boxer, Kitty Hailey. If you are a Colorado attorney, please note that the Colorado Supreme Court has just authorized 12 general credits and three ethics credits for attendance. Go here to register.  |
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Highly experienced team of Denver private investigators serving attorneys, businesses, and individuals. Our investigation services include, but are not limited to: process of service, responsible party identification, witness locates and interviews, workplace investigations, competitive intelligence, background investigations, surveillance investigations, fidelity investigations (infidelity), cheating spouses, aerial video, & more. Ross Investigators PC, Inc. proudly offers their PI services to: Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Broomfield, Castle Rock, Centennial, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Commerce City, Denver, Englewood, Fort Collins, Glendale, Golden, Greenwood Village, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland, Morrison, Northglenn, Parker, Pueblo, Superior, Thornton, Washington Park, and all of Colorado.
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