'A way of keeping the system in balance'

Cindy Bellinger | For The New Mexican

5/12/2008 - 5/13/08

What happens if you want to get the scoop on someone and you don't want that someone to know? Simple. Hire a private investigator.

"I just like helping people out," said Tim Dabbs, summing up his 11 years as a PI. "The bulk of my work is background checks, but I do criminal-defense investigating, too."

Dabbs started Infotect in 1997 after 22 years in law enforcement with the state Motor Transportation Division. When he retired, Dabbs thought it'd be nice to be his own boss. But sometimes the work isn't always that nice. "I've been involved in custody cases where the parents have to swap the child at the police station because they are so hostile to each other," he said.

Dabbs gets involved with looking for missing persons, usually because of child support. He does maternal parent searches, becomes the go-between in adoptions and has tracked down old girlfriends and boyfriends for people. "I proceed with caution on these. It's hard to know everything that's involved," he said. He's also done background checks on psychologists to see if they are licensed.

Infotect started in a small office off Old Santa Fe Trail. Dabbs moved to a new office space on St. Francis Drive two years ago. Besides doing behind-the-scenes background checks on potential employees for companies, he periodically works on some of the local high-profile murder and violent-crime cases.

"I work sometimes for private criminal attorneys, mostly doing defense investigating," he said.

Dabbs also does surveillance in child-visitation situations. "I have to be careful not be detected," he said. He also does contract work for the state public defender office.

The number of cases he's usually working on at the same time is usually between eight and 15. Some of his cases are in-depth jobs; others only require an interview or two. Most clients find him through referrals and word of mouth. Some find him through the phone book.

He also sells self-defense products such as tasers, pepper spray and stun guns, as well as GPS devices. "I have a whole catalog of things," he said.

Another part of Infotect is installing security and alarm systems. "I expanded into video security equipment and other alarm and alert systems."

Jerry Gattis works for the Salvation Army and said the organization in Santa Fe opted to buy from Dabbs a 16-camera security system for its warehouse. A fire several years ago that he believes was started by an employee, and the high incidence of cars being broken into while people shopped, prompted the group to get a security system.

"We wanted to protect our assets and reduce shrinkage," Gattis said, "and the system is absolutely excellent. I can watch all of the cameras on a computer from anywhere." He reported that since installing the equipment last summer, there have been no problems and called the move "worthwhile."

PI work is interesting but Dabbs always retains a bit of caution. "In my line of work, you never know," he said. "But I also see it as a way of keeping the system in balance." He said in other cities PIs often are associated but in Santa Fe, "There's probably about five or six of us but we're not organized. Like everyone else here we're a bunch of free spirits."