P.I. joins team of columnists

Private Investigators come from many walks of life — most from law enforcement, some are insurance investigators and some are from the armed forces. The Coast News’ newest columnist, Brian Scott, of North County P.I., came from the tough streets of Canarsie, a small section of Brooklyn with a big reputation for mobsters.
After serving in the military, Scott returned to Canarsie to find himself mixed up in the mobster’s company. He had enough sense to leave New York before it was too late. Two weeks after he lost his best friend to a bullet, Scott and his new bride quickly, and quietly, hit I-95 bound straight for the Sunshine State where he went into business management. At 24, he struck out on his own and with tenacity and determination, made it a success. His company soared to the top within three years. By 26, Scott was flying his own plane to meet corporate execs from his largest client.
But in late August of 1990, Scott received the hard news that would force him into his final adventure. His major client pulled its contract and he was back to square one. At 32, he didn’t want to go back to school and was too old to become a cop, but wanted to be part of the legal/judicial system. That’s when he discovered the world of private investigation. For him, it was the perfect job, with new challenges every day and the responsibility of resolving some of life’s most complicated issues.
So intrigued by the idea, he turned his remaining business over to his loyal managers, checkbook and keys included and wished them luck. Off he went, putting it all behind him in search of a new adventure.
From there, he walked into the offices of the largest detective agency in town and convinced the boss he could handle the assignments, with his street smarts, survival skills, military training and10 years in corporate America. It wasn’t long before he was lead investigator for the agency with only one problem — it wasn’t HIS agency. In 1991, he left that firm and hooked up with a local cop he knew who had served in Naval Intelligence and the CIA. He learned a lot from Jimmy, and soon was overwhelmed with cases, taking him around the world, specializing in corporate fraud, insurance defense and family law.
The world of a private investigator has been as fascinating as he anticipated, and a place where he can seek truth and justice for some, with peace of mind and closure for others. This column will take us along for the always-interesting ride.