About Us

Welcome to our website. Your host, James T. Born (Jim) is the licensee of Tri State Detectives (license #457); one of the oldest original private investigator  licensee holders in the state of Nevada.  First licensed in 1988, as Nevada Investigative Services, and later in 2019, name changed to "Tri State Detectives", also holding the Nevada State Attorney General (PILB) approval name of "TSD Fire and Explosion; Origin, Cause Investigations and Forensic Engineering Services.  Jim is also one of the oldest original private investigator license holders in the state of California; licensed as "California Investigative Services" (License #7195), licensed in 1978, some 46 years serving the people of California. In 2021, Jim licensed a second California Private Investigative firm, as the "Qualifying Manager"; "Engineering Specialists, Incorporated" (ESI) (License #5755: Branch Office located at: 11500 West Olympic Boulevard, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90064). ESI is staffed with Forensic Engineers and has its own forensic laboratory; staffed with scientists capable of fire modeling, analyzing and storing, fire and explosion evidence, and scientific examination; using the latest high tech equipment; exploring down to the molecular level (Scanning Electron Microscope). Jim is the firms "Fire Investigation Manager"; this firm specializes in origin and cause investigations for fires and explosions, in 45 states, and around the world, staffing some 100 plus licensed Professional Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical and Structural Engineers; Certified Fire and Explosion Investigators, and 12 scientists. We support subrogation claims for our clients, and accompany them on site inspections for second opinions. We are experts in our field; we prepare courtroom exhibits, and testify at depositions and in all courts and tribunals, providing our clients a voice. 

 Prior to becoming a private investigator, Jim was a law enforcement officer for ten years; having been a Sheriff's Captain (Chief of Detective Bureau).  We are a full service agency, specializing in  civil, criminal, domestic investigations and re-certified to conduct Fire Origin and Cause, Arson and Explosion Investigations (NAFI 24513-14115). 

Jim is a Master Death Investigator and Medicolegal Investigator, trained by the University of Saint Louis, School of Medicine, Division of Pathology. He is also an 8th Judicial District Court "Forensic Expert" (1991 Homicide Case C097729 Judge J. Bonaventure) and a "Fingerprint Expert" (1994 Homicide Case C96592) Judge J. Pavlikowsky); a graduate of the California Highway Patrol Accident Investigations School, graduate of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations School, and is a former Nevada POST Certified, and SIRCHIE Fingerprint Laboratories "Crime Scene Technology Instructor". He is currently a National Certified Law Enforcement Instructor and Curriculum Reviewer with the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (#000042) IADLEST. His specialty is Forensics and Fire and Explosion.  Jim is a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant (E-8) (23 years-reserve and active duty-11 years in the Navy and 12 years in the Army) Senior Military Police Instructor and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare Instructor. He holds a A.A. Degree from Los Angeles Pierce College  (Police Science) and a BS Degree from Pacific Western University (Criminal Justice). Jim was highly decorated (The Bronze Star Medal for Heroism) while serving with SEAL Team Two (MST-2 Detachment Alpha) in the infamous Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, as a SEAL Tactical Assault Boat Captain. 

Agents of Tri State Detectives walk among the best of the best. We are confidential, fair, impartial, honest and timely in our reports to you. Jim has appeared on National Television; six times on the CBS program "Case Closed", on the Jenny Jones Show "Sex Lives and Private Eyes", on the Las Vegas Channel 3 'The Edmond Cortez Show" "Talk with a Real Private Investigator" and has appeared on several radio talk shows and for two years, additionally he was an arson seminar instructor for the International Association of Arson Investigators. Our agency also performs electronic bug detection (using the same TSCM equipment that the FBI uses), we have access to vetted electronic information (not the stuff found on the internet), we conduct Title IX Investigations.

 We are an authorized Investigative Service and Fire Investigative Service contractor for the United States Government (NAICS 561611, 524291) DUNS No. 117648281, Unique Entity ID MAJ1LV6ELB3, CAGE Code 6PWB6, SAM UEI #MAJ1LVP6ELB3; and for the State of Nevada (Vender No.17085, NIGP Code 990-52).

For your protection: all of our employees are carefully screened by James T. Born, licensee; and then by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

You deserve to have the best so hire the best. " WE GIVE OUR CLIENTS A VOICE".

• Tri State Detectives (Principal Licensee)
• TSD Fire and Explosion, Cause and Origin, Forensic Experts
• California Investigative Services (Principal-Licensee)
• CIS Fire and Explosion, Cause and Origin, Forensic Engineering
• Engineering Specialists, Incorporated-Investigator & Consultant
• Air-Born Imaging Consultant
• Fire and Explosion Technical Report Third-Party Reviewer

American Institute for Professional Development (TM)

Jim Born, Fire & Explosion, Consulting Service

Jim Born, Author