16/11/16

Eugène François Vidocq
Eugène François Vidocq was a self-reformed French criminal who turned a young life of fraud, theft, and womanizing into a crime-fighting legacy.
Vidocq's 18th century legacy still persists today. He was the inspiration for a variety of famous literary characters. Vidocq's expertise in French crime-fighting also served as the model for modern crime-fighting organizations such as the FBI and Scotland Yard
Eugene Francois Vidocq founded the first known private detective agency in France: Le Bureau des Renseignements. A former-criminal-turned-policeman, Vidocq's agency was staffed by detectives who were all former criminals.He is also considered by historians and law enforcement to be the father of modern criminal investigations.

Vidocq is credited with introducing the science of ballistics to police work. He also was the first to make plaster casts of shoe impressions. An inventor, Vidocq held patents on indelible ink and unalterable bond paper. He was also considered a master of disguise and surveillance.
Vidocq was also the inspiration for many famous writers, including Victor Hugo, Edgar Allen Poe, and Charles Dickens. (seems familiar:))

Victor Hugo

Edgar Allen Poe

Charles Dickens

How does one
become a
private investigator?

Although not generally a requirement for state licensure, many private investigation firms require their employees to possess a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a similar program. Further, because many private investigators have worked in other areas of law enforcement or in the criminal justice field, they generally possess some type of formal education or training.
For example, it is quite common for retired police officers, police detectives, and military personnel to seek careers as private investigators.
To date, 43 states require state licensure to practice as a private investigator. Even those states without state licensure often require licensing at the local level. Therefore, becoming a private investigator the majority of the time involves not only seeking a formal education and training, but state licensure, as well. State licensure ensures that private investigators work within the parameters of the law at all times and adhere to a strict set of laws and regulations.

Requirements for state licensure differ from state to state, although most states require the following:
•    A high school diploma or GED
•    A minimum age (state requirements range from 18 to 25)
•    A clean criminal record of felony convictions or convictions involving crimes of moral turpitude
•    Industry experience and/or a college education
•    A United States citizen or legal resident

First Fictional Detective

Perhaps the most famous detective in fiction is Sherlock Holmes, created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But he is not the first fictional detective. Edgar Allen Poe created the first detective in fiction: C. Auguste Dupin. Dupin was a private detective living in Paris. In fact, he is based on none other than Eugene Francois Vidocq. Dupin appears in three popular stories: The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Purloined Letter, and The Mystery of Marie Roget.