5 Questions Every Chief Should Ask Before Hiring a Police Background Investigation Firm

Outsourcing background investigations is no longer a fringe decision — staffing shortages, rising liability concerns, and increasingly complex vetting requirements have pushed more agencies to bring in outside expertise. But not every background investigation firm is built the same way, and the difference shows up exactly when it matters most: during litigation, an audit, or a hiring decision that gets challenged.

Before signing a contract, here are five questions every chief, sheriff, or command staff member should ask.

1. Does the firm have actual law enforcement command experience — or just administrative experience?

There's a meaningful difference between a firm that processes paperwork and a firm that understands what a background investigation is actually protecting your agency from. Ask who is conducting or supervising the investigations, and what their law enforcement background looks like. A firm led by former command staff — someone who has made hiring decisions, defended them, and lived with the consequences — brings judgment that a purely administrative vendor simply doesn't have.

Be especially direct about this one: ask whether background investigations were the firm's founding purpose, or whether they were added later as an extra line of business on top of applicant processing or staffing services. There's nothing wrong with a company expanding its offerings — but a background investigation isn't an administrative task with a form at the end of it. It's an investigative judgment call, and that judgment is built through years of actually doing the work inside a law enforcement agency. A background investigation firm built on that foundation looks very different from one that added the service category later.

2. Can they show you a real, standardized process — not just a checklist?

A background investigation built around a generic checklist tends to produce generic results. Ask to see the firm's actual investigative methodology: how they structure interviews, what triggers deeper inquiry, how they document findings, and how consistent that process is from one candidate to the next. A firm that can walk you through a defined, repeatable process is a firm that can defend its work later — in front of your command staff, your legal counsel, or a courtroom.

3. Do they understand how a background investigation holds up under legal scrutiny?

Every background investigation is a potential piece of evidence. If a hiring decision is ever challenged, your investigation file needs to demonstrate that a thorough, defensible process was followed — not just that a box was checked. Ask whether the firm has direct experience with litigation support or expert witness work. A firm that understands how these files get scrutinized after the fact will build a stronger file from the start.

4. Have they worked with agencies of your size and complexity?

A background investigation process built for a large metro department doesn't always translate cleanly to a five-officer rural agency, and vice versa. Ask for examples of agencies the firm has worked with — different sizes, different jurisdictions, different challenges. A firm with a track record across a range of agency types is more likely to tailor its process to your actual needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all template.

5. What happens after the investigation is complete?

A police background investigation firm's job isn't finished when the file is delivered. Ask what support looks like after that point: Are they available to answer questions from your legal counsel? Can they testify or provide documentation if a decision is challenged months or years later? Do they offer training, so your own staff builds internal capability over time, rather than staying permanently dependent on an outside vendor? The best firms treat the relationship as ongoing, not transactional.

Choosing the Right Police Background Investigation Firm

Background investigations sit at the intersection of hiring urgency and long-term liability. Agencies under pressure to fill vacancies quickly can be tempted to treat the investigation as a formality — but a rushed or superficial background investigation doesn't actually protect an agency. It just delays the moment a problem surfaces, often until it's far more costly to address.

Asking these five questions upfront won't just help you choose the right firm. It will clarify what your agency actually needs from the process in the first place.

About ProFirst Training and Consulting

ProFirst Training and Consulting is staffed by law enforcement professionals, including a command-level CEO. ProFirst has trained more than 1,000 background investigators nationwide, secured over $1 million in government contracts, and completed engagements with agencies including the Philadelphia Police Department, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Cleveland Police Department, and Doña Ana County, New Mexico. ProFirst's services include background investigations, investigator training, consulting, Voice Stress Analysis (VSA) examinations, policy manual development, and expert witness and litigation support.

If your agency is evaluating whether to bring in outside support for background investigations, contact ProFirst Training and Consulting to talk through what your process should look like.