top of page


The Importance of Professional Private Investigation Services
When you need to find someone in Australia, the task can feel overwhelming. Whether it’s for legal reasons, personal closure, or historical research, locating individuals is rarely straightforward. That’s where professional private investigation services come in. They bring expertise, resources, and ethical standards that make all the difference. But what exactly makes these services so crucial? And how can you ensure your case is handled successfully? Let’s dive into the key

Enigma PI
4 min read


Private Investigation Techniques: Unveiling the Work of Private Investigators
When you think of a private investigator, what comes to mind? A shadowy figure tailing suspects in a trench coat? While Hollywood has certainly glamorized the profession, the reality is far more nuanced and methodical. Private investigation techniques are a blend of art and science, requiring patience, skill, and a deep understanding of human behavior. Today, I want to take you behind the scenes and reveal what really goes into the work of a private investigator, especially w

Enigma PI
4 min read


The Grief / Loss Impact Register (GLIR) – Where do you as a Government and your Police service sit?
Image of a pioneer’s tombstone in the Australian out-back, Valentine Smith © 2022 The Missed Foundation [i] calculates that for every...

Valentine Smith APM
3 min read


Part Four: Missing Person Response – Gaps uncovered
The first police unit on scene took down basic initial details and commenced a land search of the navigable roads and tracks for some hours.

Valentine Smith APM
8 min read


Part Three: Missing Person Response - Gaps uncovered
PART THREE OF A FOUR PART SERIES Victimology and Witness handling INTRODUCTION: Criticisms, no more criticisms – with over fifty years in policing and investigations, the last ten years almost solely concentrating on missing persons, I have identified gaps in most cases. However, I am generally not overly critical, why? Because I understand reality and the limitations and pressures in which police work. I also understand that it is the front-line officer who is usually the t

Valentine Smith APM
6 min read
![Understanding Otzi - THE ICE MAN[i]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93549e_f22bb67a6ee14f4a95d7b1928e14ba8c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_440,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_35,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/93549e_f22bb67a6ee14f4a95d7b1928e14ba8c~mv2.webp)
![Understanding Otzi - THE ICE MAN[i]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93549e_f22bb67a6ee14f4a95d7b1928e14ba8c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_495,h_281,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_avif,quality_auto/93549e_f22bb67a6ee14f4a95d7b1928e14ba8c~mv2.webp)
Understanding Otzi - THE ICE MAN[i]
Sometimes when I am discussing missing persons cases, I am asked what is the longest a person has been missing, or similarly what is the...

Valentine Smith APM
6 min read


‘The Lost Boy’ – Tragedy in the Outback…
Everything in life is a ‘Maybe, even where we think we have a considerable degree of control of direction and choice. Many things we do...

Valentine Smith APM
3 min read
![Murder and Missing Persons - It is not just about ‘Reckonology[i]’](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93549e_2311d4fa984b4d519f79fc7f6fe9a5f0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_333,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/93549e_2311d4fa984b4d519f79fc7f6fe9a5f0~mv2.webp)
![Murder and Missing Persons - It is not just about ‘Reckonology[i]’](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/93549e_2311d4fa984b4d519f79fc7f6fe9a5f0~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_514,h_386,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/93549e_2311d4fa984b4d519f79fc7f6fe9a5f0~mv2.webp)
Murder and Missing Persons - It is not just about ‘Reckonology[i]’
Often, in order to strengthen an unsupported opinion, a ‘Reckonologist’ will use an expression of “They reckon”.

Valentine Smith APM
3 min read


The Hope Narratives
‘The Hope Narratives’, are the collaborative work of MPAN, Dr. Sarah Wayland, missing person expert, WhiteGREY (Brand Specialists)

Valentine Smith APM
3 min read


Birdwatching - for bodies (Observations of wildlife to locate human remains).
As we get older some of us get great pleasure in ‘observing', from watching people in the street, to dog’s territorialising the park

Valentine Smith APM
13 min read


Footprints in the Wilderness
Why do any of us feel rejuvenated when we go into a forest, sit on a quiet ocean beach, or even visit an urban park?

Valentine Smith APM
3 min read


“Cold Case Challenges” Missing in Action, Lost Boys in the Wilderness
The incident scene is born through a set of circumstances. It explodes into life and then immediately begins to die until there is virtuall

Valentine Smith APM
7 min read


Losing Track
How many times do you think, hear or say, “I’ve lost track of where I am” or maybe it is more a case of “I’ve lost track of my thoughts”...

Valentine Smith APM
9 min read
bottom of page

