Equipment & Capability
Results requireresources.
An investigation is only as reliable as the equipment behind it. Empire Investigation maintains a conservative $2M+ inventory of specialized surveillance, TSCM, and digital forensics equipment — approximately 20 times the resources of the average private detective agency in the United States.
Conservative Equipment Investment
Specialized investigative and surveillance equipment owned and maintained by Empire Investigation LLC.
In 2004, Empire suffered significant equipment loss in a flood. The firm rebuilt and reinvested. The $2M+ figure represents the conservative post-rebuild baseline — not the peak.
Capability Categories
Built for every investigative scenario.
Surveillance Systems
- Specialized surveillance vehicles with covert camera mounts
- Long-range directional optics and night-vision systems
- Drone-class aerial surveillance platforms
- Multi-camera mobile command configurations
TSCM Counter-Surveillance
- Non-linear junction detectors (NLJD) for finding concealed electronics
- Spectrum analyzers for RF signal identification
- Time-domain reflectometers for telephone line analysis
- Thermal imaging systems for hidden device detection
Audio & Covert Recording
- Micro-recording devices and concealed audio systems
- Long-range directional microphones
- Noise-cancellation and enhancement processing
- Digital forensic audio systems
Video Intelligence
- Pinhole and covert camera systems
- High-definition body-worn video
- Low-light and thermal video capture
- Digital evidence management and storage systems
GPS & Tracking
- Active and passive GPS tracking units
- Hardwired and magnetic GPS systems
- Real-time vehicle tracking platforms
- GPS signal analysis and detection equipment
Forensic & Digital
- Digital forensic data acquisition tools
- Mobile device evidence extraction
- Fingerprint lifting and latent evidence kits
- Residue drug testing field kits
Field Proof
When WPXI needed to document a Pittsburgh-based exercise involving state police from five surrounding states targeting people being struck by trains at railroad crossings.
Field Proof
A camera that survived a train.
Most investigative agencies carry standard commercial equipment. Empire does not. When WPXI Television approached us to collaborate on a Pittsburgh-based public safety exercise — coordinated with state police from five surrounding states and focused on people being struck by trains at dangerous railroad crossings — our equipment was put to a test no brochure could have anticipated.
Empire's cameras recorded those train impacts directly. The force registered at 125 Gs — levels that would destroy virtually any consumer or prosumer-grade device on the market. Our equipment survived without interruption. The footage was broadcast as part of the WPXI investigative series documenting this five-state police collaboration.
This is not a case study in client outcomes. This is proof of capability — the kind of documentation only exists when your equipment can handle conditions no one else would attempt.
WPXI Television · Five-State Police Collaboration
125 Gs
Impact force on record
Zero interruption
Camera kept recording through impact
Five-state
State police collaboration, Pittsburgh-based exercise
Beat the Train — Investigation Footage
News Station Relationships
When journalists need it done right, they call Empire.
Television news producers require equipment and expertise that most private investigators cannot provide. Empire has been the go-to resource for Pittsburgh's major broadcast stations for over three decades.
WPXI Channel 11
Provided surveillance vehicles, long-range equipment, and investigative strategy for the multi-state Beat the Train project.
KDKA-TV CBS Pittsburgh
Broadcast collaboration on consumer protection and fraud investigations.
WTAE-TV ABC Pittsburgh
Night vision and undercover equipment provided for hidden-camera segments.
WPGH FOX 53 Pittsburgh
Supplied equipment and investigative logistics for the Private Eyes undercover series. Anchor publicly credited Empire on-air.
NBC National
National broadcast collaboration on investigative reporting.
When the Situation Demands It
Equipment is only half of it.
The other half is 44 years of knowing exactly how to use it. Speak with Empire Investigation confidentially about your matter.
Questions
Equipment & Capability — Questions
Why does equipment matter in a private investigation?
Investigations succeed or fail on the quality of the evidence collected. Without the right tools — proper surveillance optics, counter-surveillance detectors, or digital forensics hardware — an investigator may miss critical evidence or produce documentation that cannot hold up in court. Equipment capability is not a luxury; it's a prerequisite for reliable results.
Does Empire rent or borrow equipment, or does it own what it uses?
Empire Investigation owns and maintains its equipment. The firm's conservative $2M+ equipment inventory is owned outright — not rented case-by-case. This means equipment is calibrated, maintained, and immediately deployable without lead time or third-party dependencies.
What is the Beat the Train story, and why does it demonstrate capability?
The Beat the Train project required WPXI to document a Pittsburgh-based law enforcement exercise involving state police from five surrounding states, focused on people being struck by trains at railroad crossings. Empire provided the surveillance vehicles, long-range camera systems, and investigative strategy that made the shoot possible. It is a documented example of solving a logistically complex, multi-agency operation that required significant equipment and operational planning.
Does Empire handle digital forensics in addition to physical surveillance?
Yes. Empire's capabilities extend into digital forensics including mobile device evidence extraction, digital data acquisition, and fingerprint and residue analysis. The firm approaches investigations as requiring both physical and digital intelligence depending on the case.