What Is Professional Certified Investigator (PCI)?

The Professional Certified Investigator (PCI® ) credential provides demonstrable proof of knowledge and experience in case management, evidence collection, and preparation of reports and testimony to substantiate findings. Earning a PCI provides independent confirmation of specialized skills in security investigations, including case evaluation and review of options for case management strategies. It validates your ability to collect information through the effective use of surveillance, interviews, and interrogations.

As a globally recognized standard of excellence for security investigations, PCI showcases the knowledge and competencies of security professionals in three key security domains. These domains include:

• Case Management
• Investigative Techniques and Procedures
• Case Presentation

Compared to non-PCI certified professionals, security professionals with PCI having a greater chance of being hired or getting promoted. PCI requires disciplined study—either on self-learning basis, via a study class or through an online group—and some relevant experience. However, the most important thing is to be committed to the process.

Eligibility

To be eligible for induction into the PCI program, you need to have a high school diploma, GED equivalent or an associated degree, along with at least five years of investigative experience, including two years in case management. You should be employed full time in a security related role. You should not have been convicted of any criminal offence that would reflect negatively on the security profession.

Candidates can apply for the PCI certification online through the ASIS website. The application asks for basic biographical information, such as name, date of birth and address. It also asks for in-depth information on education and previous experience. Additionally, the candidate must provide three professional references on the application. Along with the application, the candidate must pay the exam fee, with ASIS members receiving a discount.

Why Earn the Designation of PCI?

Earning a Professional Certified Investigator (PCI?) designation provides independent confirmation of your specialized skills in security investigations, including case evaluation and review of options for case management strategies. It validates your ability to collect information through the effective use of surveillance, interviews, and interrogations.

How to Get PCI Certified?

The eligibility criteria for PCI is already detailed above. The other requirements for getting PCI certified is taking and passing a three-hour long examination. The examination comprises of 140 questions which include 125 MCQs and 15 randomly distributed pre-test (unscored) questions. The exam tests the skills and knowledge of professionals in three key domains which are mentioned above.