News

  • Professional Investigator Program – Information Webinar 2/4/14

    Interested in advancing your PI career? The BU Professional Investigator Program is one of the most respected and complete online programs in the US. Join our Program Director for an online information session detailing the ins and outs of the program, advice on a PI career and have all your questions answered during the webinar.

    Register here for this event.

  • Faculty member Thomas Shamshak to speak at CALI 2014

    Thomas Shamshak will be delivering a presentation entitled – Branding Your Investigative Agency and Yourself at the 2014 California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI).

    For more information, click here.

  • ON WBUR: Interrogation Turned Deadly: New Questions In FBI Shooting

    “Could this have been avoided?” Shamshak asked rhetorically. “Yeah, it probably could have been avoided had Todashev’s interrogation been taken into a local police station, state police office [or the] FBI office.”

    Listen to segment for this event.

  • Investigator Tom Shamshak weighs in on alleged police brutality in Seabrook

    Link to video

  • Listen to BU Student Clem Pellett Talk About His Experience with the BU Program

    Check out the videos below to learn more about the BU PI program and how it affected one of our students’ budding PI career.

    Learn more about the amazing story of how Clem became a PI online at his website

  • Learn More About Boston University’s Online Certificate Program in Professional Investigation

    February 6, 2013 – Interested in learning more about our PI program? Attend a free online information session! Our information sessions are a great way to get more information about the program and connect to the BU PI faculty before applying and enrolling.

    The next BU Certificate in Professional Investigation online information session is
    Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 at 5 PM EST

    Register for the info session online at the BU CPE website

  • Tom Shamshak Sheds Light on Recent Bedford, New Hampshire Death

    January 9, 2013 – BU professor Tom Shamshak offers Fox 25 Boston some insights into how the police will be handling the investigation into the mysterious death of a Bedford, NH woman.

    Read more: Fox 25 Boston

  • Tom Shamshak Offers Advice to the Katie Couric Show

    December 3, 2012 – In “What To Do If Your Child Goes Missing,” Boston University PI professor Tom Shamshak tackles the tough questions that families struggle with when a child or loved one disappears. From advice about using social media to increase awareness about the situation to tips for hiring a reputable PI, Tom’s article is an essential read for any concerned parent.

    Read the full article on KatieCouric.com

  • Top 25 Private Investigator Training and Education Programs

    “Boston University’s Professional Investigation Program offers a diverse curriculum covering all aspects of this profession.

    The program is designed to accommodate busy schedules and is taught by a number of professionals, many of whom are experienced and licensed private investigators.

    Students have the choice between an in-classroom or online program tailored to their individual needs.”

    Read the full article on PI Now.com.

  • Holly Piirainen case: Tom Shamshak, private investigator

    January 4, 2012 – By Gene Lavanchy (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – It has been a nearly two-decade-long wait for justice. But now, there is some positive news for the family of Holly Piirainen. Investigators have identified a person of interest they believe is responsible for the kidnapping and murder of the 10-year-old girl back in 1993. Tom Shamshak is a private investigator and former Spencer police chief, who has worked with Holly’s family through the Molly Bish Foundation.

  • New lead in girl’s murder

    January 1, 2012 – By John Zaremba

    The family of 10-year-old Holly Piirainen is hoping their grueling wait for justice will soon be over, putting their faith in a development authorities will announce this week in their investigation into the Grafton girl’s 1993 abduction and murder.”We’re very hopeful that this is what they need, what they finally need,” Holly’s father, Rick Piirainen, told the Herald yesterday. “We had met with them earlier this year, hoping they could put some pressure on to reinvigorate the case. It’s been 18 years already.”

    Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni says he will announce Tuesday what he called a “new investigative lead” that resulted from recent forensic findings. He declined to elaborate.

    Read the full article on BostonHerald.com

  • An Inside Look at Boston University’s Online Certificate Program in Professional Investigation

    December 30, 2011

    Ever wondered what taking an online course at BU is really like? Our graduates of the BU online PI certificate program have all the answers.Read more

  • Professional Investigation instructor weighs in on Whitey’s girlfriend

    July 13, 2011

    The recent capture of James “Whitey” Bulger has lead to a media frenzy over the upcoming legal proceedings surrounding charges of his involvement in 19 murders. Catherine Greig, Whitey’s longtime girlfriend is accused of keeping his whereabouts secret for 16 years. In a recent article, the Boston Herald asks, “Will Whitey’s girl get bail?” To help answer this question, the Herald turned to the Center for Professional Education’s Professional Investigation Instructor Pamela Hay.

    “No get-out-of-jail-free card for Miss Greig,” said private investigator Pamela Hay, a retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who served on the Bulger Task Force from 2000 to 2005. “If I was still on the task force, I would want something. She shouldn’t just walk.”

    “Was she able to leave this cold-blooded killer or was she truly devoted to him? That’s the million-dollar question,” said Hay, who teaches investigative research at Boston University.

    Read more on the BostonHerald.com

  • Pamela Hay profiled in the recent article in the Patriot Ledger

    July 1, 2011

    Pamela Hay, faculty in the CPE Professional Investigators Program, was profiled in the recent article “Former DEA agent from Sharon recalls hunt for Whitey Bulger” in the Patriot Ledger. She has her own private investigation firm, Broad Range Investigations, and teaches a class in investigative research at Boston University. Pamela retired from both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the search for James “Whitey” Bulger in 2005.Read the full article on patriotledger.com.

  • Inquiring Minds

    March 12, 2006

    The Boston Globe has an article about the boom in interest in the field of private investigation, partially due to the popularity of shows like “CSI” that glorify the work of crime scene investigators. One of our students, Amy Cosindas, is featured in the article as the Globe investigates the new program offered at the Center for Professional Education.

    “It’s the job that I’ve always said, ‘Gosh—that I would love to be, kind of behind the scenes, doing the work,’ ” Cosindas said, describing the class. “There’s something about the challenge I really like—the mystery, the unknown, and being able to go back to somebody and say, ‘This is what the facts are, and this is what the truth is.’”

    Read the full article from the Boston Globe.

  • Students Join the Search for Missing Girl

    Students of the Center for Professional Education’s Private Investigation Program assisted Brockton police in searching a 5-acre section of D.W. Field Park in Brockton, MA. The group searched every square inch of the area looking for clues that might help find Jennifer Fay, a Brockton teen that went missing in November of 1989. Read the full article from Enterprise News.