Dedika is a platform where you learn by doing: whether it's creating a business proposal, becoming a manicurist, or learning to use a new tool, for example. No matter your goal, the best content on the subject already exists. But most times, it's in another language, expensive, scattered around, lacks practice activities, or comes in courses that are too long for people with busy schedules. That's why Dedika has its own method: we search for this material wherever it is, organise what makes sense for your goal, review it with the help of experts who are available to answer questions, and create practical exercises so you can learn by doing. You are the most important part of your journey and no one knows it better than you: choose the content and course duration, decide if you'll learn online or offline, and pick the format you prefer. It could be video, text, audio, or a summary. Your way, only with what makes sense for you. Here, every moment you dedicate counts for more, and you reach what matters faster.

Our courses include a summary at the end of each chapter, which you can download as a PDF and print.

More than 2 million students worldwide

Present in more than 180 countries

Certificate valid in your country

Home page

...

Private Detective Course

All courses

Security and Defense

Detective

Private Detective Course

For all levels

Private Detective Course

Name: Private Detective Course
Price: 54000 NGN

Learn the real skills behind professional private investigation — from surveillance and evidence collection to legal compliance and client reporting. This course covers every core competency you need to work cases with confidence and credibility. Whether you're starting fresh or formalising what you already know, this is the most complete investigative training available.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

You'll learn how to conduct surveillance, gather criminal intelligence from public records and commercial databases, and collect evidence that holds up in court. The course covers legal and ethical boundaries, licensing requirements, and privacy laws so you always operate within the rules. You'll develop structured interviewing techniques, deception detection skills, and professional report writing. Specialised modules address fraud investigations, background checks, domestic cases, corporate misconduct, and digital forensics. By the end, you'll have the knowledge and tools to run a professional investigative practice from day one.

How you study in practice Private Detective Course

How you practise Private Detective Course

For companies looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the specific needs of your company.

Click here

Course content

8 Chapters • 40 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Private Investigation

Lesson 1 • Privacy Laws and Civil Liability
Introduces privacy rights and the civil liability risks investigators face. Students learn to balance investigative goals with subjects' legal protections.
Lesson 2 • Setting Up an Investigation Practice
Covers the operational basics of launching and managing an investigative business. Connects professional structure to credibility and client acquisition.
Lesson 3 • Ethics and Professional Conduct
Examines the ethical obligations that define professional integrity in investigation. Connects ethical decision-making to client trust and legal compliance.
Lesson 4 • The Private Investigation Industry
Defines the role of a private investigator and distinguishes it from law enforcement. Provides context for the profession's history, market demand, and career pathways.
Lesson 5 • Legal Framework and Licensing
Covers the regulatory requirements governing private investigators, including licensing, bonding, and insurance. Students learn to operate within legal boundaries from day one.

Chapter 2See details

Research and Information Gathering

Lesson 1 • Online Research Techniques
Teaches advanced internet search strategies, including deep web and social media research. Students learn to extract actionable criminal intelligence from digital sources.
Lesson 2 • Research Ethics and Legal Limits
Defines the legal boundaries of information gathering, including data protection regulations. Students learn to conduct thorough research without violating privacy or consumer protection laws.
Lesson 3 • Commercial Database Research
Introduces subscription-based investigative databases for locating individuals and assets. Students practise querying and interpreting database results accurately.
Lesson 4 • Public Records and Open Sources
Identifies the categories of public records available to investigators and how to access them efficiently. Establishes open-source research as the foundation of every investigation.
Lesson 5 • Organising and Analysing Information
Covers methods for structuring research findings into coherent, usable criminal intelligence. Connects information organisation to effective case management and reporting.

Chapter 3See details

Surveillance Fundamentals

Lesson 1 • Surveillance Planning and Preparation
Covers pre-surveillance research, route planning, and equipment selection. Proper planning is presented as the critical factor in surveillance success and legal compliance.
Lesson 2 • Stationary Surveillance Techniques
Teaches fixed-position observation methods used in vehicle and foot surveillance. Students practise maintaining cover while documenting subject activity accurately.
Lesson 3 • Mobile Surveillance Techniques
Develops skills for following subjects on foot and by vehicle without detection. Students learn counter-surveillance awareness and adaptive positioning.
Lesson 4 • Surveillance Photography and Video
Introduces camera operation, framing, and documentation standards for evidentiary footage. Students learn to capture legally admissible visual evidence under field conditions.
Lesson 5 • Surveillance Safety and Counter-Detection
Addresses personal safety, burn recognition, and counter-surveillance protocols. Students learn to abort and reset surveillance operations without compromising the case.

Chapter 4See details

Interviewing and Witness Techniques

Lesson 1 • Rapport Building and Communication
Teaches verbal and nonverbal techniques for establishing trust with interview subjects. Effective rapport is connected to greater disclosure and more reliable information.
Lesson 2 • Cognitive Interview Methods
Introduces evidence-based cognitive interview techniques for enhancing witness recall. Students practise guiding subjects through memory retrieval without leading or contaminating testimony.
Lesson 3 • Recording and Documenting Interviews
Covers legal requirements and best practices for recording interviews and producing written summaries. Accurate documentation is linked to evidentiary value and case credibility.
Lesson 4 • Detecting Deception and Inconsistency
Examines behavioural and verbal indicators of deception and statement inconsistency. Students learn to identify red flags without relying on discredited polygraph assumptions.
Lesson 5 • Interview Planning and Structure
Covers how to prepare for an interview, including background research and question design. A structured approach is shown to improve information yield and reduce bias.

Chapter 5See details

Evidence Collection and Chain of Custody

Lesson 1 • Evidence Collection Procedures
Teaches systematic methods for collecting evidence without contamination or alteration. Proper collection technique is presented as the foundation of evidentiary integrity.
Lesson 2 • Digital Evidence Fundamentals
Introduces the unique challenges of preserving digital evidence, including metadata and file integrity. Students learn basic forensic handling principles without altering source data.
Lesson 3 • Evidence Storage and Security
Covers secure storage requirements for physical and digital evidence throughout a case. Proper storage is connected to long-term evidentiary value and client trust.
Lesson 4 • Chain of Custody Protocols
Defines chain of custody and the documentation required to prove evidence integrity. Students practise completing custody logs and transfer records accurately.
Lesson 5 • Types of Evidence in Investigations
Classifies physical, documentary, digital, and testimonial evidence and their respective roles. Understanding evidence types guides collection priorities on any case.

Chapter 6See details

Case Management and Report Writing

Lesson 1 • Case Docket Management Systems
Introduces structured systems for organising case documents, evidence, and communications. Effective docket management is shown to reduce errors and improve case outcomes.
Lesson 2 • Investigative Report Structure
Defines the standard components of a professional investigative report and their purpose. Students learn to structure reports that meet client, legal, and evidentiary requirements.
Lesson 3 • Photographic and Video Log Reports
Covers how to create detailed logs that link visual evidence to written narratives. Students learn to produce photo and video reports that stand up to legal scrutiny.
Lesson 4 • Writing Factual and Objective Narratives
Trains students to write precise, unbiased descriptions of observations and findings. Objective writing is connected to credibility in legal proceedings and client presentations.
Lesson 5 • Client Communication and Deliverables
Addresses how to present findings to clients clearly and professionally. Students learn to tailor deliverables to client needs while maintaining factual accuracy.

Chapter 7See details

Specialised Investigation Types

Lesson 1 • Corporate and Workplace Investigations
Introduces investigation methods for internal theft, misconduct, and policy violations. Students learn to conduct workplace investigations that protect both employer and employee rights.
Lesson 2 • Background Investigations
Covers the scope, legal requirements, and methodology of pre-employment and personal background checks. Students learn to produce accurate, compliant background reports.
Lesson 3 • Domestic and Matrimonial Investigations
Addresses the legal and ethical boundaries of domestic investigations, including infidelity and custody cases. Students learn to gather admissible evidence while avoiding harassment or entrapment.
Lesson 4 • Missing Persons and Skip Tracing
Develops systematic methods for locating missing individuals using research and field techniques. Students learn to distinguish voluntary disappearances from potential criminal situations.
Lesson 5 • Insurance and Workers' Compensation Fraud
Covers investigation methods for detecting fraudulent insurance and compensation claims. Students learn to document claimant activity in ways that satisfy insurer and legal standards.

Chapter 8See details

Advanced Investigative Strategy

Lesson 1 • Risk Assessment and Threat Management
Introduces methods for identifying and mitigating risks to investigators, clients, and case integrity. Students develop contingency plans for high-risk investigative scenarios.
Lesson 2 • Undercover Operations and Pretext
Covers the legal and operational requirements for undercover and pretext-based investigations. Students learn to design and execute covert operations within strict legal boundaries.
Lesson 3 • Case Strategy and Hypothesis Development
Teaches investigators to form and test case hypotheses based on available evidence. Strategic framing is shown to focus resources and prevent investigative tunnel vision.
Lesson 4 • Multi-Investigator Team Operations
Addresses coordination, communication, and role assignment in team-based investigations. Students learn to manage information flow and maintain operational security across a team.
Lesson 5 • Testifying and Court Preparation
Prepares students to present investigative findings as expert or fact witnesses in legal proceedings. Effective testimony is connected to the overall value of the investigative work product.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Career changers: seeking a structured path into investigative work professionally.
Security professionals: wanting to expand their skill set beyond physical protection roles.
Paralegals and legal assistants: aiming to support attorneys with field investigation capabilities.
Entrepreneurs: ready to launch an independent investigative services business from scratch.
Retired law enforcement officers: transitioning their experience into private sector investigation work.
Curious self-starters: drawn to investigative work and committed to learning it properly.

What our students say

Your classes are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of my interest without needing to change platforms... I thank you for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...