Bensalem Investigative Firm Credits Curiosity For Its Start

Marc Bourne says his family business began because his mother is curious.

"We always said she was just nosey. She was always involved in politics and government and she'd go on fact-finding missions. People kept telling her 'You should do this as a living,'" he said.

And that is what Elizabeth Bourne began doing in 1999, starting the ,  which focused on employment screening.

About a year later, Marc, a grad whose background is in security and loss prevention, joined the firm. Today the company's services also include investigations, executive protection, assistance with workplace violence and fingerprinting.

The company's skip tracing investigations can provide the location of witnesses, defendants, deadbeat parents, debtors and missing persons.

"We have four employees in house but we subcontract investigators all over the area," said Marc Bourne, chairman of the township Planning Commission. "Some are retired local law enforcement. Others are retired federal customs agents."

In addition, Bourne says Know It All has researchers in 3,000 counties. That's because there's no comparison between searches of outdated online databases and feet on the ground.

"You need people who are actually going to the source to get accurate, updated information," he said.

The firm, located at 1950 Street Road, also touts its understanding of local government and its ability to obtain information to safeguard taxpayer money. That includes surveillance of municipal employees suspected of financial abuse such as fraudulent workers compensation claims.

Bourne stresses that Know It All is "not the type of investigation company that checks on cheating spouses and things like that. We are strictly a business-to-business investigative company."

More and more, Bourne says, the firm has become involved in workplace violence investigations and training to recognize signs of potential violence.

"That's because of the economy and so much stress in the workplace," he said.

Many employers "stick their head in the sand," Bourne said. But if they think there could be a problem, "there usually is."

"If you're not prepared, you're not going to know what to do. You need to prepare yourself for almost any situation," said Bourne, who plans to give a workplace violence presentation next month at a forum of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Employment Law Institute.

Another impact of the recession was a bit surprising. When it kicked in a few years back, Know It All's business did not suffer. Bourne says that's because more people are searching for jobs and more are lying to potential employers about their experience and education.

"Nowadays there is an abundance of qualified candidates and a bigger pool of finalists," he said. "And people lie more because they are desperate."

"Background checks should be the first line of defense for all businesses," Bourne added.

And that screening can range from simple Social Security number traces to multi-state sex and violent offender checks, depending on what the employer needs.

Know It All also provides protection to public figures, corporate executives and celebrities and at corporate events and other high profile situations in the Philadelphia, Bucks County and Montgomery County areas.

"We can provide armed security guards and low-profile protection that blends in," explained Bourne.

But there will be no loose lips from this PI when it comes to talking about those high-profile clients after the fact.

"Our executive protection division is highly confidential," said Bourne. "We have mainly protected corporate executives during times where there where perceived threats against their company or individuals at their company. We have also assisted with a few celebrities when in town for promotions and other things."