Investigative Interviewing

 
Central Time (CT) Online November 04, 2025 $595.00 + tax

Register Now

The program is accredited or pre-approved by HRPA, CPHRAB, CPHRBC and Yukon  for 6.5 CPD recertification hours.

         

This course has been accredited by the LS of Ontario (LSO)

35 minutes Professionalism,

40 minutes Equality and Inclusion Professionalism

and LSBC for 6.50 hours of continuing professional development.

The program is accredited by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) for 6 hours.

This is one day of a 5-day series of courses that covers the Fundamentals Of Investigation and How to Use the Internet as an Investigative Tool and How to Prepare for a Hearing, Adjudication or Trial. They are mix and match courses, with group and number of day discounts. You can check them out here.

Obtaining information from people who have evidence relevant to whatever it is you are investigating is a crucial component of most investigations. You have to know how to ask the right person, the right question, in the right way, at the right time and in the right place.

All very relevant. Well prepared, informative course!

Regulatory Services Coordinator, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan

This one-day course offers a structured approach to obtaining information from another human being, as effectively and efficiently as possible, with a focus on interviewing in any investigative context. We outline methodologies to ensure that you maximize the chances of getting all the information that any party has that is relevant to your investigation, including from reluctant and evasive witnesses.

We will cover how to identify who you need to speak to, decide whether or not an interview is necessary, the general principles that underpin every good interview, how to put the interviewee at ease, how to structure the interview itself and best practices in recording the interview.

All government investigators should take this training as to the baseline of good interviewing. Very thorough, very useful.

 

The course is hands-on and interactive, with group exercises and video footage of interviews done well – and not so well.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who speaks to people to get information from them. That includes those involved in any kind of investigation or fact-finding, including:

  • workplace / human resources
  • regulatory / compliance
  • lawyers/paralegals
  • ombuds/human rights
  • audits
  • inspections
  • law enforcement
  • health and safety
  • academia
  • human rights
  • values, ethics and conflict of interest

 

and any other field of investigation.

 

The course is a great introduction to interviewing for those new to conducting investigations, and an excellent refresher for the more experienced.

Syllabus:

  • Introduction To Interviewing

 

  • What makes a good interviewer?

 

  • The 3 Stages Of The Interviewing Process
    • Identify
    • Decide
    • Interview
    •  
  • The 6 Principles Of Effective Interviewing
    A detailed discussion that covers preparation, building a rapport, thoroughness, objectivity, keeping control of the process and actively listening.

 

  • Preparing For The Interview
    • Knowing the issues and the interviewee
    • To Google or not to Google? What is out there on the Internet, legally and ethically.
    • Developing questions

 

  • Scenario
    The two-part scenario is based on a real-life incident. Includes a video of what actually happened.
  • Group Exercise 
    Groups prepare questions/ question areas base on the scenario

 

  • Setting Up The Interview
    • Making contact
    • Choosing location
    • Confidentiality concerns

 

  • Ethical Considerations
    • Integrity and fairness
    • How far do you go?
    • Tricks of the trade
    • How to avoid getting duped

 

  • Types Of Interview
    • Face to face
    • Telephone
    • Email
    • Written Interrogatories
    • Skype

 

  • How To Structure And Conduct An Interview
    • The twelve stagesof the actual interview
    • Do’s and don’ts, as the interview progresses
    • Gender, culture, language as factors to be considered in the investigating process, including when assessing credibility.
    • Embedding the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness throughout the interviewing process, including dealing with badgering, leading questions, (in)appropriate cross examination, giving individuals an opportunity to speak and listening to what they say.

 

  • Group Exercise 
    Using the scenario, we will go through how an interview should unfold. Includes a role play, but only for those who want to get involved.

 

  • Dealing with vulnerable witnesses                                                            

Recognizing and dealing with the challenges created when interviewing potentially vulnerable witnesses such as juveniles, adults with special needs and others who may not have sophisticated knowledge or understanding of the interviewing process

 

  • Recording Interviews
    • Best practices
    • How and why

 

  • Interviewing Techniques

A brief review of some investigative interview approaches, both good and not so good,including:

  • PEACE
  • Cognitive interviewing
  • Reid technique

 

  • Assessing Credibility
    • Body language
    • Behavioural analysis
    • SCAN

 

  • Common Roadblocks And How To Deal With Them

 

  • Common Mistakes Interviewers Make

 

  • Assessing The Success Of An Interview

 

  • Wrap-up and Evaluations
  •  

Investigative Interviewing Outcomes

At the end of the course you will know how to conduct thorough and ethical interviews, as well as:

  • Determine who you need to speak to and why
  • Plan an interview
  • Conduct an interview fairly, thoroughly and ethically
  • Deal with common roadblocks
  • Record interviews, using best practices

Customization

We can also customize the course for your organization, working with you to create bespoke scenarios based on the types of interview you conduct.

The course will be delivered by Gareth Jones.

Gareth Jones has over 30 years of investigative experience in the public and private sector. He has provided investigative training to numerous fact-finding agencies in Canada and internationally, including to UN organizations. Gareth’s bio is here.

Any questions?. Interested in group discounts? Please call us at 416-704-3517 or email : bjaworski@investigationstraining.com

Top of Form

Search for:

Bottom of Form

© 2025 Investigations Training