A boy becomes a man

My son Travis, who has been involved in bail enforcement since he was 15, is facing a major accomplishment on 12/16/06. He is being raised up as a Master Mason. No small task for a 20 year old struggling with the responsibility of being a man and the desire to screw off. He has evolved into a stout and complicated young man. He is politically astute, compassionate to others, an accomplished musician, yet hard to get close to.

As I reflect on his formative years, I realize that I had not been home as much as I should have, and as a result, failed him and his brother and sister. I forced my desires on them all instead of nurturing their own attributes and desires. My defense is that the product of my constantly working is the lifestyle that they all enjoy.

I don't know that I could have or would have changed anything if I were to do it all over. I am clearly a product of my own upbringing, and have truly done all that I could to support their decisions. Whether I believed the decisions that they took were in their best interest or not, I granted them the opportunity to fail. This is a freedom the less courageous fail to understand. It takes balls to let someone you love and pledged to protect go down the wrong path. But allowing them to take chances that they have the ability to recover from is far better than taking the decision from or for them.

Travis is embarking on a different path, one taken by his future brothers since antiquity. A path of honor, courage and integrity, and penalties for failing his brethren. Being allowed to fail as a child has prepared him for the importance of not failing when the stakes are higher and people depend on him to succeed.

I am proud that he has chosen this path and of the man he has become. One that can comprehend the oaths he has taken, and the import they represent. There are others that are just as proud of him. Men that have been mentors to me and have an obligation to him as he has to them. Joe Stiles, Scott Harrell, Paul Burch, George Edelen, Robert Collins, Richard Cutlip have all been a part of both of our lives, integral to our maturation and growth. Understanding ourselves to be able to understand others is both an achievement and a goal to obtain.

Enjoy the walk down that path, young man. It is as well traveled as it is ignored. There is always light at the end of it...

My siblings, my heroes

The profession that I have chosen has given me the opportunity to see people from all stations in life. Some come from some pretty sad conditions. I have come to the conclusion that were are all disfunctional-functional in one way or another. How one comes to grips with this reality and deals with it or succumbs to it is what defines us.

My family has a bond that I am very proud of. My baby brother just turned 40. That means we are all older than we care to admit. His loving wife organized a surprise party to celebrate him, and all of his sisters and I flew to Texas with our spouses. His party highlight was a DVD created by a friend, commissioned by his wife, that reflected his life, family and friends to date.

I am very proud of this kid and what he has become. He is a loving father and trusted friend to many. As an observer, I was able to witness too many accolades and acts of love to recall here. I also saw more beer consumed than I ever witnessed while experiencing college fraternity life.
It is true, that everything is bigger in Texas!

I am in a reflective mood as a result of what I witnessed. I have always been driven to succeed, and as a result am a work-a-holic. I have spoiled my wife and children for two reasons. The first is to make up to them in some way for not always being there for them, due to working. The second is somewhat selfish, in that it makes me feel good to provide them with luxuries that were foreign to me. At times I may have created my own monsters, but I will accept that over
the alternative of having failed as a provider.

We are all older and I am happy to know that one of the tenants taught ad nauseum by my father has taken root; that of "You kids are all that you have, now and forever".

He was right.

PBUS represents us...NOT!

When I was starting out in this business, one of the best networking venues was the open forum on the PBUS website. It was all good until a very heated argument and untoward actions by a female Private Investigator whose name I don't recall and a character named Rick Gurley. Their "discussions" resulted in PBUS shutting down the forum. No complaint here, it was a logical step due to unprofessional activity and discussions.

My issue with the organization was their anti-bail enforcement stance. They publicly stated that they did not condone bail enforcement and saw no need for the activity. I assume that they were sucking up to the insurance companies as that was their main source of revenue.

Insurance companies are the ones that get sued when bail enforcement activities, or poor excuses for them, go awry. They want to remain arms length, stating we didn't hire them, the bail bondsman did. They are independent contractors, we don't tell them how to run their businesses, why are we responsible? Further, we only receive a small portion of the revenue collected by the bondsman, why do the lawyers come after us? Right or wrong that is their position.

I would not join their organization, and by their severely declining roles, I was not alone. I am a Professional Bondsman as well as an Insurance Bondsman, but my life's passion is Bail Enforcement. I was offended by their position against bail enforcement and am fully aware of the necessity for our services.

I joined their organization this year out of respect and a request from the insurance company that I write under. I will not renew my membership.

PBUS has continued to dishonor the fine and laudable work of Professional Bail Enforcement Agents and Bondsmen and women that respect their craft. They work quietly and covertly, with out mullets and vests, without a badge around their necks in public, without attracting attention.

What is PBUS's response to the men and women that have pride in their work product? They invite the media hound to their convention, an internationally wanted fugitive. What makes it worse is that they advertise it on their website and inform their membership that they can get their picture taken with him..What the hell are they thinking?

An organization is representative of their membership, therefore, I can no longer be a member.

Heroes and Friends

I just came back from North Carolina, teaching a class to a group of "In House" professionals that work for an insurance company. I taught the class with Mel Barth, owner of the National Association of Bail Enforcement Agents, www.Nabea.us .

Funny thing about bail enforcement agents, they are truly a strange breed. In my years in this business, I have met a bunch of them. They come and they go, some achieving minimal success, while others achieve National notoriety. The common denominator for the successful ones is that they are type A personalities, classic over achievers.

If you were to hear or read their respective resumes, you would say that they were liars. No single person could have accomplished the achievements that they claimed. My friends, nothing could be further from the truth. These are exceptional people. Pushing the envelope is their life's passion. They get bored when not challenged.

What happens in the twilight of a storied career is hard to accept. Working from the time when there were little rules and fewer regulations and transitioning to the current climate is very difficult. Further, to be an industry leader in continuing education in the current climate is quite an accomplishment.

Mel Barth grew up hard, losing touch when his brother was adopted out of the orphanage and he wasn't. From there to the Marine Corps and a Field Commission in Vietnam. After that, Mel found himself somewhere south of the US, flying "Projects" for an undisclosed employer with plausible deniability. Mel ran his own airline flying cargo around the world and owned a construction company in NY City. He was the chief fundraiser for a couple of NY Congressmen, one being a woman. Some life already and he hasn't started in the Commercial Bail Industry yet!

Mel Barth did many things between then and Boxer Bail Bonds. He worked in England training people for discreet projects and worked with G. Gordon Liddy in Florida training Personal Protection Specialists. He ended up with the NABEA after buying it out of bankruptcy from an individual that purchased it from it's founder, Bob Burton.

I have worked Bail Enforcement cases with Mel in many states. His professionalism, morals and ethics are exemplary. He truly practices what he preaches.

I am proud to call him my friend.

2nd best is good enough for me

Second best, I am changing my name to Avis! Funny post from a true friend that I would take a bullet for. I was actually discussing my premise for this blog with a prominent Bondsman and Bail Enforcement Agent. We share the same opinion that there are very qualified and experienced Bail Enforcement Agents in burgs all over this country. In this business, a Bondsman will keep his treasure a secret. The BEA that keeps him afloat can do the same for his competition. It is difficult for the young BEA to comprehend that he can't get a recommendation from the guy he just picked up a 50K for, since it might help a competitor stay afloat.

Nothing will take the wind out of your sales faster than the feeling of having to beg for your money after an extensive and expensive investigation. Part of what we do is the bonus of the "reverence" that is showered upon us after a successful hunt. Accomplishing something that others tried and failed at is an awesome feeling and very addictive. When your client is almost crying because he doesn't have to pay that big bond due tomorrow, it makes you feel so proud. When they try to re-negotiate because they "Never got all of the money on that guy anyway", you want to throw up.

Funnier, is when a bond agency with an "In-House" crew calls in an outsider to pick up a difficult and or dangerous case. Guys with any time in grade have experienced this. It is the response from the guys sent to meet you to gather in the skip for the bondsman that kills me. It is almost textbook, they come hard and fast, hell bent on impress mode. The guys that had already failed this case are trying to impress the successful Bounty Hunter with their acumen and prowess. It is nothing short of comical.

Since we were successful, is it not safe to assume that we spoke to the same people that they did? We heard the stories that they told, the threats that they made, how they presented themselves, what they drove and what they were told. "I don't know why they couldn't get him, I see him everyday". It never ceases to amaze me.

The scene is always the same as well. The guy with the fugitive shows up calm, cool and collected. The guys there to pick up the fugitive come out of their car(s) strapped to the hilt, with a brilliant show of weaponry, handcuffs, fire extinguisher sized pepper spray, and anything else they can stuff onto their Batman utility belts. I often wonder if they were able to see a video of themselves, would they high five each other or be embarrassed?

I apologized to the defendant before turning him over to them...

Joe Stiles, Black Aces Fugitive Recovery

Joe stiles is a prolific poster on Bail related sites. I read his work for years and always admired him. He takes the time to research his topic and posts well thought out responses to questions from "Newbies" and well respected industry professionals. Joe has been doing recovery work for over 20 years and has forgotten more than I will ever know.

Sometime in August of 2004, Joe posted a skip on an industry related user group, and requested assistance. Since Joe Stiles is an accomplished Bounty Hunter or Bail Enforcement Agent, as well as a very successful Bail Bondsman in Knoxville, TN. Clearly, he didn't need my help or anybody else's for that matter, he was looking for convenience.

Since I always wanted to meet the man I had grown to admire, I responded to his request. His skip was in Carlysle, PA, and I was in my office in MD. I offered to pick this skip up for nothing. I knew that laying treasures up in heaven would be well worth it one day, sort of "Paying it Forward".
His skip was only a #3,500. bond as I recall, so money wasn't a big issue anyway. Joe received an email from another BEA who was trying hard to get the case. This gentlemen even went as far as to question why I would need to go after such a low dollar value skip and didn't believe that I needed the money that badly. Mr. Stiles responded to this slight on my reputation by letting him know that I offered to perform the pick up for free, he couldn't believe it!

Rod Milstead, my son Travis and I loaded up and left immediately. Enlisting the help of a neighbor of the target, we had him in custody inside of 2 1/2 hours, including the travel. I called Mr. Stiles, he asked if I decided to take the case. I responded with an afirmative answer and further informed him that we were coming down the turnpike in PA with his charge, and would he head east on 40 and north on 81 to meet us and take the fugitive. He was very happy. We met him at a truckstop in the evening n 81, somewhere near Roanoke, VA. Jos Stiles showed his class and paid us far more than he should have, though his appreciation and meeting him would have been enough.

Since that meeting, we have had the opportunity to work together in different capacities. He has always been professional and a class act. Overtime I learned that he was a Mason. Funny how things just add up!

Joe, I will go through a door with you anytime!

Compass Point Investigations, Scott Harrell

I read about Scott Harrell on the internet at www.bondforfeitures.com and was intrigued. When I was in the research phase of improving my abilities, I came across this website. He has others; www.pieducation.com and www.beabountyhunter.com that are equally beneficial to the "Newbie" as well as experienced Bounty Hunter.

After closing out a particularly dangerous case with a team of accomplished hunters; John "Big Red" McGraw, Frank Humphries, Lester "K.C." Cassion, Brian Baltimore, Roy Warner, and George Edelen, it was apparent that it was time for a road trip. The case involved Jamaican drug dealers, and subsequent to the re-arrest, a murder of the indemnitor. Enough said, time to get away for awhile!

Roy Warner, currently a Federal Police Officer, and I decided to ride to Texas and take one of the classes that Mr. Harrell taught in person. Roy is an "Organ Donor" rider and has an incredibly fast Hyabusa. I have Harley Davidsons, and they are no match for the Hyabusa. Since my idea of riding together is comparable speed and fuel tanks, we decided to leave his bike behind and we each rode one of my Harleys. Roy was famous for saying "When we ride, I will see you twice, when we leave and when we get there!" This was a major factor in the choice of what we were riding!

We signed up for Scott Harrell's class on line and planned to meet at my house and pack up the bikes the day before we left. In our collective wisdom, this would allow time to acquire any last minute necessities and not interfere with our time limits. We met on a Tuesday night and were all done by 8pm. Roy and I looked at each other and simultaneously realized that we would both be too excited to sleep. We left immediately!

We left Mechanicsville, Maryland and rode to Roanoke, Virginia. Once in the mountains of South Western Virginia, we ran into dense fog. Since it was just before midnight, we decided to get a Hotel for the night. It had become apparent that Roy did not feel comfortable doing under triple digits on the speedometer. The ride was a compromise for the both of us, me riding faster than comfortable and him at a speed that didn't get his blood flowing!

We got up the next morning, wiped the dew off of our bikes and took off. We rode through the mountains of eastern Tennessee and stopped in Nashville for the night. Since it was 8:30 pm, we went to the local bars to experience the night life. We left the next morning for Ft. Worth.

Being a diehard Republican, I enjoyed the opportunity to relieve myself in Hope, Arkansas. The target was a sign proclaiming it the home of Bill Clinton, and that was enough motivation for me. We also decided that Arkansas has the worst roads in America, and with the rest of the picture that the state provided, we understood why Clinton never returned. Poor NY, but then they deserve them both!

We rode into Dallas during rush hour, and were passed on an exit ramp while riding next to each other. Being angry and scared isn't a healthy combination. We called Scott and got directions to his training center. Once there we met Brian Coach, a Texas PI and accomplished Bounty Hunter, who worked with Scott and helped teach the class.

Scott Harrell's class was very professional and complete. He has performed the most scholarly effort as regards this industry, and I countenance him as a friend to this day. To my knowledge, Mr. Harrell is a licensed PI in TX, MS, LA, NC and Florida and has the required credentials to be hired as a BEA in TN as well. He is a charter member of the National Surety Investigator's Network as well as a member of the National Association of Bail Enforcement Agents, Falls Church, Virginia. Quite a list of accomplishments for a young man still south of 40 years old.

If I have learned anything in this business, it is how little I really know. It is imperative for anyone choosing this profession to seek out all of the training that they can, in as many different places as they can. The more you learn, the more capacity you have to learn even more. The cumulative knowledge and experience that one acquires during the course of a successful career results in wisdom, the kind that might keep you alive!

I started this blog to chronicle some of the people that I have met while perfecting my craft of Bail Enforcement. It has been a long and storied quest for knowledge, and turned out to be a life of dicotomies. It is profitable yet costly, frightening yet boring, intriguing yet redundant.

I believe that this is a limited profession and as the laws change state by state, will soon be extinct. Since I feel that there are alot of unsung heroes, that the world may never know, there is a need to chronicle their respective parts in history. There are a small number of nationally recognized Bail Enforcement Agents, while the greater number enjoy local notoriety.

My name is Scott MacLean, I am a Licensed Private Investigator, Professional Bail Bondsmen (Property and Surety), Bail Enforcement Agent, Educator, Public Speaker, Entrepeneur, Husband and Father. I enjoy working, racing and most of all, the hunting of a human being.
Due to the nature of my business, I will not go into family details, but will admit that all of my children have made bail re-arrests by their 15th birthdays.

My businesses are in Maryland and Virginia, yet my investigations have taken me Nationwide. Our team has accumulated over 1600 fugitive recoveries in 31 States, year to date. Our strangest statistic is re-arresting a husband and wife, on both sides of the country, during the same weekend, for two different Bondsmen. When one of my investigators was falsly bragging to a new investigator that he held the office record for the most re-arrests in one day, I corrected him and then went out and made the 5 re-arrests that he claimed to have made. In my travels, I have heard that bail agents have affected many more re-arrests in one day. While I don't dispute their statistics, we are limited by the amount of time required to surrender an individual at the local county jail, often times surpassing 6 hours.