Hidden Gems: Meet Chris Hickman of Lone Rock Investigations

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Hickman.

Hi Chris, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I served as a police officer with the Great Falls Police Department in Great Falls, MT. for 31 years and I moved to Scottsdale in 2021. I am licensed as a private investigator in both Arizona and Montana. I served as a patrol officer, fugitive apprehension officer, patrol supervisor, community policing supervisor, narcotics investigator and drug task force commander. I was a member of the SWAT team and the Critical Incident Stress Management team. I was awarded the Montana Narcotics Officer of the Year Award for 2013. I have always enjoyed conducting complex investigations and finding resolutions for victims of crime. Working as a private investigator seemed to be a natural progression for me.

When someone calls a private investigator, it is because they have an unresolved issue. I work cases related to marital infidelity, insurance fraud, missing persons, criminal and civil court cases and skip tracing (locating hard to find people). It is a cliche’ at times but I really do enjoy helping people find answers to their questions. A lot of my work entails surveillance which can be challenging due to often being immobile while having to pay attention to what I am trying to surveil. I use a number of covert devices to record activities.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The most difficult challenge when I started out was getting the word out about my business. I quickly realized that just having a website was not enough to get noticed and that it was important to have a team who could work on my search engine optimization and marketing to make my business relevant online. I have learned a great deal about marketing and online recognition.

Focusing on good communication, great customer service, fair pricing and accountability to my clients has allowed me to have repeat customers who often refer their associates to me. Treating people fairly, focusing on providing a great work product and being transparent with my clients have been the cornerstones to my success.

Albert Einstein said, “You never fail until you stop trying.”

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Lone Rock Investigations, a private investigation firm was established in Montana in 2017. I am the sole owner and operator. I specialize in cases related to insurance fraud, missing persons, criminal and civil court issues, infidelity and skip tracing. As a police officer, I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience in how to interview victims and witnesses, write reports, process crime scenes and engage in other facets of investigations. I perform a number of investigations for national private investigation firms. I am known for being honest and transparent and this is noted in the number of Google reviews I have received on my Google My Business sites in both Arizona and Montana,

I am proud to help my clients find resolutions to their problems. I am often asked to locate estranged relatives, old friends, former schoolmates and old neighbors with whom my clients have lost contact. It is very satisfying to reunite these people and that is probably what I find most rewarding.

I believe my tenacity, transparency, honesty and my desire not to lose are some characteristics that perhaps set me apart. There are a number of great private investigators out there and so the competitiveness helps keep me focused and driven to continue providing a great work product for my clients. I am most proud of the feedback I get from clients who tell me that they didn’t get the response from other private investigators that they got from me. I don’t bill my clients for phone calls, text exchanges or email time and I am available to my clients at all times of the night and day. People tell me how much they appreciate my willingness to take calls after “normal” business hours.

By the time someone has called a private investigator, they have likely exhausted all of their own ideas as to how to come to a resolution to their problem. I can’t help everyone but I am willing to listen and people appreciate that. I always tell my potential clients that I am an objective collector of facts. Sometimes those facts may not align with the agenda my clients have created and I make sure that my clients are made aware of this long before I accept an assignment. I will work tirelessly for my clients to collect the facts and give them answers. This is a passion for me and my legacy is important.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Starting a business was a big risk. Fortunately for me, starting a private investigation business did not require a large financial investment but it did require me to take a giant leap of faith by leaving a good paying job with great benefits. Having faith and confidence in my own abilities as an investigator allowed me to take this risk and I have no regrets. The last eight years have been rewarding and it is a great feeling to be your own boss.

Working as a private investigator has its own inherent risks. Sometimes I am met with hostility and anger when I am conducting my investigations. Being able to utilize the tools I learned as a police officer to de-escalate situations has been invaluable to me on a number of occasions. People are not always glad to hear from a private investigator and that is just a risk that comes with the job. Sometimes, I am required to go into questionable environments and that can be challenging but knowing how to talk to people and knowing how to smooth over an uncomfortable situation are tools that are essential to this job.

I have seen a number of disturbing things while serving as a private investigator. Knowing how to recognize and process those times when I am emotionally affected by these situations is incredibly important in order to maintain a healthy balance in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lonerockinvestigations.com