Just get your investigative reporter friend to start a network of investigative reporter friends :-) to be on hand in "major" areas of the country to have connections to the police so they won't give you problems. That and after you do it awhile the police will know about you from other cases you've done and cooperate happily. Like you say, it would ease their load and make you money at the same time; win/win situation. Of course some people who couldn't afford your services or didn't want to have to pay (even if they could afford to) will complain because you'd be getting faster "service" for your clients because of your connections and being "liked" but that's a different problem :-)