Open to opportunities

Richard Mathewson

@richardmathewson

JD-trained investigator & writer. I turn complex information into clear, accurate writing — policy, reports, content, and more.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

Open to contract, freelance, part-time, or full-time work — immediately available. Most interested in writing/documentation (policy, compliance, investigative, research), but open to broader writing and content work too. Compensation flexible and negotiable by role. Remote preferred; open to hybrid for the right fit.

About my career

My path started in law enforcement and investigations — five years as a Military Police officer, then over 15 years building and running investigative firms. I founded Watchdog Security Group in 2006, building and leading a 7-person investigative team from the ground up, and later founded Proba Intelligence in 2019, where I led complex casework for corporate and legal clients and mentored a team of investigators. Along the way I earned a Juris Doctor and a Master's in Psychology — an unusual combination that shapes how I approach everything I write: legal rigor paired with an understanding of how people actually behave, communicate, and make decisions.

In 2020 I founded The Kincade Society, a nonprofit advancing human rights, ethical leadership, and conflict resolution through education and policy work. Through it, I've written and published articles on international humanitarian law, the ethics of use of force, and organizational integrity, and built advisory services helping businesses and nonprofits develop governance structures and internal policy from scratch.

What I actually do now

Today my work centers on writing and documentation — but the throughline across everything I've done is the same: taking complex, sometimes messy information and turning it into something clear, accurate, and usable. That's shown up as investigative findings reports, policy frameworks, compliance documentation, published articles, and general business writing. I don't consider myself boxed into one lane — the underlying skill (research, synthesis, precise writing) transfers across almost any format a client needs.

What I'm drawn to

I'm particularly interested in work involving investigative writing, ethics and compliance, policy development, and public integrity — but I'm equally happy taking on general writing, content, or documentation work where accuracy and clarity actually matter. I'm not looking to specialize narrowly; I'm looking for work that rewards careful research and clear writing, regardless of industry.

Achievements worth noting

Founded and led two investigative/advisory firms over a combined 15+ years
Built and directed teams of up to 7 investigators, establishing SOPs and case-quality standards still in use
Published multiple articles on law of armed conflict, ethics, and security policy
Delivered legally sound investigative reports used by counsel in real litigation and compliance decisions
Developed original governance and policy frameworks now used by client organizations

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Founder & Director

Current

The Kincade Society

Sep 2020 - Present (5 years 11 months)

Founded and lead a nonprofit advancing human rights, civil rights, ethical leadership, and conflict resolution through education, policy development, and advisory services. Write and publish articles on international humanitarian law and ethics. Provide governance-structure, Code of Conduct, and internal-policy writing services to businesses and nonprofits.

Conflict Resolution Business Development Behavioral Interviewing Regulatory Compliance Human Rights Law Civil Rights Ethics and Compliance Fact Finding

Founder & Investigator

Proba Intelligence, LLC

Feb 2019 - Feb 2025 (6 years)

Founded and led an investigations firm conducting casework for corporate and legal clients. Designed investigative strategies for misconduct and regulatory-violation inquiries, producing legally sound written reports and executive findings briefings. Conducted due diligence research and led a 3-person investigative team, setting case-quality and documentation standards.

Threat And Vulnerability Management Legal Research Investigation Consulting Credibility Behavioral Analytics Regulatory Compliance Investigative Interviews Ethics and Compliance Intelligence Administrative Operations Fact Finding Due Diligence Ethical Considerations

Founder & Private Investigator

Watchdog Security Group, LLC

Aug 2006 - Oct 2010 (4 years 2 months)

Founded and led a firm providing investigative, risk/compliance, and security consulting services. Built and led a 7-person investigative team, establishing SOPs, quality-control protocols, and case-management documentation. Produced investigative reports used by legal counsel to assess compliance and liability exposure, and wrote security assessment reports.

Contract Investigator

Omnisec International Investigations, Inc.

Dec 2006 - Jan 2009 (2 years 1 month)

Conducted contract background investigations for government agency clients, applying regulatory and procedural standards to produce compliant, defensible casework. Conducted in-person interviews and compiled comprehensive investigative reports from personal-source and public-record research, meeting federal agency compliance and reporting standards across varied institutional environments.

Investigative Interviews Intelligence Fact Finding Due Diligence Ethical Considerations Criminal Investigation Investigative Report Review Credibility Weighting

Police Officer

U.S. Army Installation Management Agency

Feb 2006 - Jul 2006 (5 months)

Maintained law, order, and regulatory compliance across an Army installation, enforcing federal, military, and state law. Performed law enforcement duties including crime prevention, detection, and investigation, documenting incident reports and compliance findings. Responded to incidents and emergencies as part of routine patrol and emergency response operations.

Military Police

U.S. Army

Mar 1999 - Jul 2004 (5 years 4 months)

Investigated and documented misconduct, criminal incidents, and security escalations, coordinating with legal counsel (JAG) and command leadership to support policy, compliance, and disciplinary decisions. Conducted law enforcement, threat management, and crisis response operations. Trained and mentored fellow personnel, earning formal recognition for setting the standard in peer training.