Page 43 - July - August 2019 - v3_june_july_2009_Neat

The Paranormal Investigator 43

The Paranormal

Investigator

by Larry Lawson
Host of XZBN’s
“Paranormal StakeOut”

The years I spent as a criminal investigator have
taught me one vital lesson, to search for the truth
and go to where the evidence takes me to build any questions being asked there must be a Paranormal Investigator vs.
a case or find the case unfounded. To do this, the preamble of: Time, Date, Location and the Paranormal Thrill Seeker vs.
investigator must collect and preserve evidence names of persons present during the session, etc.
and information. It must be available for all Now this is already the procedure for many Spiritual Searcher
parties involved in the inquiry to examine and groups, but do we consider it standard amongst
compare. After all the evidence has been all legitimate paranormal investigators? Some What is your motive to investigate or research?
collected and carefully examined the case is groups listen and gain possible EVP evidence There is no wrong answer to this, just the inner
brought to another party, in this case a but, they are using a voice recorder that cannot search to determine your motives for
prosecutor. The prosecutor then decides be transferred to a computer or other storage investigating.
whether or not there is sufficient evidence to file device. If the EVP evidence cannot be According to the Cambridge English
the case and send it to court. It is in court that preserved, then what use is it in an Dictionary an investigator is someone: “whose
the case is decided by a jury selected from investigation? If these standards are not job it is to examine a crime, problem, statement,
society. So goes our legal system in theory. followed in criminal court, the evidence etc., in order to discover the truth.” Taking this
When building a case for the existence of revealed during that part of the investigation is into consideration, it should be the nature of any
the paranormal, shouldn’t we use the same in danger of being thrown out. Why is that any investigator to search for the truth through
standards? If we ever hope to prove the different in the case of a paranormal evidence. A paranormal investigator and
existence to the scientific world and society investigation where there are plenty of people researcher must use standards that are accepted
should we have a system in place that allows for waiting in line to refute any evidence saying it is in the field to put their case together. This
common standards and protocols? This would contrived in some way or misinterpreted by the includes a systematic way of locating, collecting
allow all evidence of the paranormal gathered to investigator. Standards that are universally and preserving evidence. This evidence then can
be considered on common ground. For example, adhered to show that the field of paranormal be examined and compared with other evidence
a homicide investigation in Tacoma, Washington research and investigation is moving towards collected by the investigator (or by other
will be conducted in a similar fashion in Vero procedures that will validate their investigations investigators conducting other investigations) in
Beach, Florida. Yes, there are differences in and the evidence collected. order to find commonalities (I will be discussing
some laws state to state and each investigator Now there will be those that say, that this concept in a future article). The goal in this
will have a different style of interviews and they don’t care if others believe their evidence. case is to find evidence, share with other
investigation but evidence will be uncovered, They do things their way and who cares what investigators and find the answer to question of
collected and preserved in a similar fashion. others think. “I know what I heard” or “I know is there life after death. Solving one of
Done this way there could be, under certain what I saw” and that is all that is important. mankind’s greatest mysteries should the goal of
circumstances, evidence used in Tacoma that First let me say that there is nothing wrong with the Paranormal Investigator.
could be used to help the case in Vero Beach. this line of thought! Everyone has the right to The term “Paranormal Thrill Seeker”
This is because basic standards in evidence feel that way and conduct themselves in a might sound derogatory to some but it truly
collection and investigation had been adhered manner which is helpful and productive to their isn’t. Thrill seeking is a part of our societal
to. goals and needs. This leads to the motives of make up. Why do people jump out of a perfectly
I believe this is an important concept that those conducting these inquiries. good airplane? Because it is fun and exciting.
would allow paranormal investigations, that are Many of the paranormal teams that exist Why do people swim in the open with sharks?
conducted for the purpose of proving the case of today conduct investigations with little or no Because it is fun and exciting. This is perfectly
life after death, to be accepted by a jury in thought as to what they are going to do with the acceptable and understood in our world today.
society. Now many paranormal investigators evidence they get. I have spoken to a number of Why wouldn’t seeking evidence of the
will immediately take offense to this saying, teams that do keep their evidence in some type paranormal be the same? All of us in the field
“Everybody investigates differently” or of computer storage and I have spoken to many have experienced the heart pounding, adrenalin
“Nobody can tell you how to investigate”. Both others that share their evidence on their websites rush of hearing the disembodied voice call your
are actually true statements. This concept is not and very little other than that. Once again, there name, a door unexpectantly slamming shut, or
meant to tell anybody how to investigate is nothing wrong with that way of thinking the holy grail of “ghost hunting”, the sight of a
necessarily. What this concept does state is that BUT… full body apparition. Anyone who goes to a
regardless of how you ask questions or in which possibly haunted location that tells you this isn’t
THE ‘X’ ZONE BROADCAST NETWORK a thrill, I would dare say isn’t being honest with
order you proceed with your work, there must be
www.XZBN.net themselves. Many groups who seek paranormal
some protocols that are adhered to if you want
“Searching for Answers, Demanding the activity simply enjoy the thrill of the event.
your investigation to be considered valid to
Truth.”
prove your case.
Listen 24/7/365 at (Continued on Page 44)
Some examples of this would be that all
www.XZBN.net
EVP sessions should be recorded and prior to