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Private Investigators Academy of the Rockies

A School for New and Prospective Private Investigators

Spring, 2008
Enrollment Now Open

Presented By Rick Johnson

Click to Sign Up

It’s the premier school in Colorado for prospective and new investigators… with classes taught by some of the best investigative minds in Colorado… a chance to learn the techniques, tips, tricks, even secrets that help define the very meaning of the term, “Private Investigator.”

Rick Johnson, Founder and President of the Academy, is a former investigator for the Denver and Jefferson County District Attorneys’ Offices, who has committed every bit of his 32 years of experience in law enforcement and in private practice to the Academy.

“This is the no-nonsense, tell it like it is class for those who are serious about the profession,” says Rick. “In a state like Colorado, where PI’s are not licensed or otherwise regulated, it’s critically important for interest in our profession to be translated into a full understanding of the tactics and techniques… the principals and ethics that every PI must achieve. Excellence is not just a goal. It’s a requirement!”

Over three weeks, you’ll be introduced to domestic surveillance, death investigations, how to get at and retrieve hidden financial assets, the art and tactics of process serving, how to find and use public records, the art of the interview, how to deal with clients, even how to set up an office… and so much more.

A Certificate of Completion will be presented at the end of the course.

If you ever thought about joining the ranks of one of the most dynamic and rewarding professions, this is your chance to truly explore that possibility.




What Our Students Say About The Academy:

"If you want professional instruction that goes beyond theory and into the realm of reality, then get set for this ride!
    – Chuck Denisen, Ph.D.

"The information, enthusiasm, and overall thoroughness of Rick Johnson and his colleagues in the PI business have left me intrigued…. Thank you!"
    – Christine Garrabrants

"Great course – Rick is great!!"
    – Laura Werner

"The next best thing to shadowing a working investigator."
    – Lee Ballentine

"This is a 'must' class for everyone concerned about the information explosion..."
    – Gail Lindley

"An excellent, through, and enjoyable introduction to all significant aspects of the PI business."
    – Ryan Ross

"Rick Johnson is Awesome"
    – Pat Wolff

"The real deal, a peek behind the curtain..."
    – JJ (Jason Jacobson)

"By far the most useful class I've seen for new investigators."
    – H. Andrew Schmidt III

"I would highly recommend this course to anyone who is now employed as an investigator or is considering the investigations field."
    – Rick Shannon




Who Should Attend


This is a strong introductory course for those who are committed to careers as private investigators in Colorado, for active investigators who want to renew and hone their skills, and for those who, if not yet committed, have a burning interest in learning more.

For someone considering entering the field, the course focuses in detail on the important basics… how to set up and operate a business… how to prepare reports… client relations… marketing… and, most importantly, it provides detailed insights into key investigative areas, such as domestic surveillance, background investigations, skip tracing, service of process, financial investigations, and much more.

For someone already active as an investigator, the Academy offers a chance to hone existing skills, learned new skills, and to interact with some of the best known experts in the field.

For someone not yet committed, this is the definitive course that will leave you with no doubt about what "PI" really means.


The Location


Classes for the Spring, 2008 Session will be presented at the Denver Athletic Club, 3rd Floor, 1325 Glenarm Place, Denver, Colorado, 80204.

Indoor Parking Available for $5 via 14th Street. The Street is one-way East. Additional parking is available at nearby parking lots.

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The Spring 2008 Schedule


Tuesday March 18, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm
Thursday March 20, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm
Tuesday March 25, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm
Thursday March 27, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm
Tuesday April 1, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm
Thursday April 3, 2008 6:30-9:30 pm

All sessions will start precisely at 6:30 pm – that’s 6:30 pm Firm. Extra time may be allotted at the end of each class for further discussion, as necessary. There will be a 15-minute break within each session. Casual attire suggested.




The Costs



Fee if Paid by March 4, 2008               $575              [PPIAC Members: $525] 
Fee After Deadline:                              $625              [PPIAC Members: $600]

The course fee includes all materials. Checks, Money Orders, Credit Cards accepted. Payments to Private Investigators Academy of the Rockies.

There are 100 people on our list of potential students for the Spring, 2008 session and only 40 slots are available. With limited slots available, we suggest you don’t delay.

The fee for this course of study is an extraordinary value… an investment that can pay high dividends. Consider that private investigators in Colorado earn anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour. Balance that against the costs of the Academy: 18 Hours at $27.50 an hour, including all materials.

This is an opportunity you can’t afford to miss.


Course Materials


Each enrolled student will receive, at no additional charge, an extensive course book that includes, not just materials related to the classes, but additional resources that graphically demonstrate what can be done, what should be done, and how it should be done; for example:

  • Samples of the forms, letters, invoices, and other documents that a good business depends on
  • Sample letters that can be used to introduce you to attorneys, insurance companies, businesses, and others
  • Examples of various types of investigative reports
  • A detailed examination of interview techniques
  • And much more.
Quite simply, the course book is a comprehensive manual for setting up and operating an investigative business.

The Academy Staff


Rick Johnson
Rick Johnson & Associates Teaching/Moderating Each Session

Rick Johnson established his private investigative firm, Rick Johnson & Associates of Colorado, Inc., in 1987, following eight years with the complex crimes units of the Denver County and Jefferson County District Attorneys Office.

Well known and respected for his work in the areas of public corruption, litigation support, insurance fraud, sexual harassment, police misconduct, and domestic relations matters, including child custody, Rick has earned a reputation for speedy, accurate, through, and discreet investigations among major law firms, governmental agencies, business and commercial clients, and individuals in Colorado and around the nation.

Rick is the only private investigator ever hired by the City of Denver to investigate allegations of election fraud, and he is the investigator who was hired by the Arapahoe Board of County Commissioners to investigate allegations of misconduct by County Clerk Tracy Baker. Rick was the investigator hired by the City of Aurora to conduct pre-employment screening of police chief and fire chief candidates, and he was hired to conduct investigations into allegations of police chief misconduct by Central City, Breckenridge, Fort Lupton and Fowler.

Rick is a past President of the Professional Private Investigator’s Association of Colorado (www.ppiac.org). The Association is dedicated to continuing education and performance to the highest standards.

Rick will present both the opening session and the closing session of the course. His broad and wide-ranging presentation will include how to set up a PI business, where and how to find clients, domestic relations investigations, surveillance, public corruption investigations, insurance defense, and interview techniques that produce good and useful results.

Rick knows the difference between a great investigator and a merely adequate investigator. After this course, you’ll know it, too.


Peter Bulla
Rick Johnson & Associates

Peter Bulla was introduced to investigative work as an analyst with the U.S. Air Force Security Service. At the University of Michigan after his honorable discharge, he majored in political science and philosophy. He began his civilian career as a police and court reporter with a major daily newspaper and moved to television, earning an Emmy as the investigative producer of a series of reports on the underground trafficking of illegal arms, ammunition, and explosives.

Peter joined Rick Johnson & Associates in 1994, where his work has ranged from locating missing persons to high profile background investigations. He currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado.

Peter will present an in-depth look at public records and public information, some of which may not appear to be public at all and much of which can range from useless to outright misleading, if not handled properly. This is the information that often is central to an effective background investigation that may include civil and criminal records, asset identification, skip tracing, corporate paper trails, executive employment screening, and more


Joe Dickerson
Dickerson Financial Investigations

Joe Dickerson, CCP, DFE, CFI, is a nationally recognized fraud investigator, who specializes in locating hidden or diverted assets to satisfy judgments and related work. His success rate in finding wayward debtors is in excess of 96 percent. Since 1965 he has provided investigative and fraud-related training services to a broad range of clients, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Joe was instrumental in the recovery of $42-million embezzled from one of his clients. His investigation lasted 18 months. A new York law firm previously had spent four years on the case without recovering a penny.

Joe is the founder and president of the National Association of Certified Investigators and he has written extensively on analyzing financial transactions with regard to organized crime, civil fraud, asset recovery, and locating undisclosed financial interests.

Joe’s class will take students into the seemingly mysterious world of financial discovery and recovery, where the only defense against the loss of millions of dollars is a skilled and talented investigator with a nose for all of the hiding places and the means to find them.


David Cottrell
Attorney Support Services

Dave is a Denver native who grew up in the Sloan Lake area of North Denver. He graduated from Colorado State College (UNC in Greeley) with a degree in Physics and Mathematics. Dave established his firm, Attorney Support Services, in December 1994. He is an acknowledged expert in the art and science of service of process.

Dave’s presentation also will focus on skip tracing, a frequent requirement for successful service of process… where to look, what to look for, how to use that information to locate someone, and how to then plan for and perform the service.

Dave has been a member of the Professional Private Investigators’ Association of Colorado (www.ppiac.org) since 1995. He is a member of the Board and has served as treasurer since 1998. He is the webmaster for the PPIAC Web Site.

Dave brings a unique and effective perspective to process serving, which is a key function of civil law, and which often depends on tactics and techniques that even many long-standing professional investigators have never mastered.

For new and prospective investigators, service of process is an obvious access point… a way to be introduced to attorney clients, who then may require additional investigative work.


Don't miss this opportunity of a lifetime
Only 40 slots available
Sign up today!

Fee if Paid by March 4, 2008               $575              [PPIAC Members: $525] 
Fee After Deadline:                              $625              [PPIAC Members: $600]


Click to Sign Up