The S.P.I.T. Class — Foundational Program
From newbie to rookie — in 3 days.
S.P.I.T. is the foundational program at StriderPI and the starting point for every student. Runs Tuesday to Thursday OR Friday to Sunday in small groups of 4 to 7. No investigative background required. Prerequisite for all advanced courses.
You will train on a real case. You will do live surveillance exercises in the field. You will leave with a clear path to licensure, a startup strategy, and the skills you'll need to take on your first cases as a rookie investigator.
100+
OSINT tools and techniques covered on day one — the same ones used by working Texas PIs.
Real case
Every class trains on at least one actual cold case or missing persons investigation.
Dave's OSINT Hack
45-minute OSINT framework taught on every day one.
Day 1 — Full Day
OSINT 101: Learn it. Then use it on a real case.
The day opens with a guest trainer briefing covering more than 100 OSINT tools and techniques used by working Texas PIs — including StriderPI founder Dave's OSINT Hack, a 45-minute framework that permanently changes how you approach any investigation.
Then we train on real cases — typically cold cases or missing persons. Past classes have located individuals who had been missing for years. The goal isn't just the result. It's learning how an investigator thinks.
9 — 12
Live surveillance events in the field — each one a real decision under pressure
15 minutes
At each event to assess the situation and decide what to do
+ a surprise
Something is waiting for you after the event on Day 2. We won't say what. Past students will tell you it's worth showing up for!
Day 2 — 4 Hour Live Surveillance Exercise
Surveillance 102: The 1890 Exercise.
The day begins with a full operational briefing at 0900: maps, targets, mission parameters. This is not a classroom simulation. You are training in live scenarios in the field, supervised by experienced licensed investigators.
The 1890 Surveillance Exercise puts you through 9 to 12 real surveillance events. At each one, you have 15 minutes to assess the situation and decide what to do. Your opposition is made up of experienced former students who know exactly how to make your life difficult.
Most new PIs take 25 surveillance missions before they start to feel competent. In a single day, you'll cover more ground than most rookies do in months of early fieldwork.
Day 3 — Full Day
Report Writing 103: The discipline that separates good investigators from great ones.
Heading 2
" The moment you know there's a report at the end of every job, you become a better investigator in the field."
Day 3 covers:
-
Investigative report formats and standards
-
Real examples from actual cases
-
Documentation discipline
-
PI startup strategies
-
Niche selection and first caseload planning
Nobody becomes a PI because they love paperwork. But here's what most new investigators don't realize: the moment you know there's a report at the end of every job, you become a better investigator in the field. You take better notes, you document times, and you notice details that would otherwise slip by.
A well-written investigative report wins cases, changes the outcome of negotiations, and holds up in court. We cover the formats, the standards, and the discipline — with real examples from each case.
Start-up Strategies 104: Winning your first cases
Day 3 also covers start-up strategies — how to structure your first weeks as a licensed PI, how to find your niche, and how to start building a caseload.
We help you get licensed. Step by step.
— LICENSING SUPPORT
The licensing process in Texas involves three separate agencies — each with their own requirements , timelines, and conflicting information. It is genuinely confusing, and most new PIs waste months trying to figure it out alone. We call it "the Quagmire."
We walk every S.P.I.T. trainee through the process from start to finish: the forms, the fingerprints, the agency interactions — all of it. Final approval is ultimately determined by the State of Texas. You remain fully responsible for meeting all individual eligibility requirements set by TOPS and DPS. Of graduates who actively pursure licensure, approximately 90% successfully obtain their Texas PI license during or shortly after completing the program.
90%
of students get licensed during or immediately after the course.
Includes full navigation of TOPS, DPS, and TALI requirements
TOPS
DPS
TALI
Regulatory body
Determines who can be licensed as a PI in Texas
Department of Public Safety
Enforces rules and requirements for Texas PIs
Professional association
400+ members, annual conferences, ongoing training.
We recommend becoming a member for one year after completing the S.P.I.T. program
— Who THIS Course IS For
Do you have what it takes to solve a crime?
You don't need a law enforcement background. Our students include military veterans, moms returning to work, entrepreneurs, analysts, tradespeople, and career changers. Some have spent 10 or 20 years thinking about this move. They all start at the same place.
-
Military veterans (all branches)
-
Moms returning to work
-
Career changes and entrepreneurs
-
Business analysts and tradespeople
-
Former law enforcement
-
Anyone who's thought about this for years
OUr Students COme from
— LIMITED SPACES PER CLASS —
Each class is built to function as a strong investigative team.
Applications are now open.
Every student begins with a free consultation. We'll talk through where you're starting from, what you're hoping to build, and whether you're ready for the program. Your perspective may be exactly what helps solve the next case.
Are you ready to become a PI?
StriderPI
Get IN TOUCH
202 Walton Way
Suite 192-155
Cedar Park, TX 78613
StriderPI Training (S.P.I.T.) is preparatory skill-building only. It is not DPS-approved training and does not satisfy Texas licensing or exerpeince requirements. All hands-on exercises are educational simulations. Strider Private Investigations is a separately licensed Class A investigations company. Training participants are not employees or agents of the licensed company.
Primary Courses
01
Surveillance “SURF"
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of surveillance via lectures, 1:1 discussions and live exercises.
02
Open Source Investigation “OSINT"
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of computer investigations, including: background checks, social media, undercover ops and more.
03
Criminal Investigation “Crime OPS"
Qualified students will learn about crime scenes, robbery fraud, sex crimes and homicide.
This course is available to students that have completed both “SURF” and “OSINT” school.
04
Undercover OPS
Qualified students will learn about covers (develop + maintain), subject assessment, team UC OPS and more.
This course is available to students that have completed “SURF”, “OSINT” and “Crime OPS”.
05
Advanced Surveillance
Master the techniques of covert observation and digital tracking in our Advanced Surveillance course, designed for seasoned professionals seeking to enhance their investigative skills.
06
Advanced OSINT
Dive deeper into sophisticated techniques for digital forensics, social media analytics, and undercover online operations.
07
360 Course
One month of PI Training | Coming Soon