Private detective work is a professional activity involving the collection, analysis, and provision of information about various events, persons, and objects, commissioned by individuals or organizations. The article underscores the relevance of this field in the context of ongoing reforms in law enforcement agencies, and the authors argue that the legislative consolidation of private detective work can significantly enhance the level of legal assistance to citizens, society, and the state. The legal status of a private investigator should be normatively established, with its own principles, methods, legal status, and cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Justifying the need for legislative regulation, the authors point to the principles that should serve as the foundation for private detectives. The authors emphasize the importance of the interaction of private detectives with state law enforcement agencies for the effective fight against criminal offenses and identify four categories of interaction: legal cooperation, technical cooperation, information field and operational interaction, and support. International norms are crucial conditions for the legal regulation of private detective activities in the country. In the context of global practices, the authors note the commonality of principles, goals, and objectives of private detective activities, but they also recognize the existence of national peculiarities regulated by the legislation and legal system of each state. Additionally, in this article, the authors provide a legal description of the legal status of a private detective and develop recommendations for utilizing the results of their work in the field of criminal procedure.