I was in discussions with a colleague recently who has over 20 years experience of managing confidential informants about making changes within his agency in order to maximise the intelligence collected and to work more safely. His biggest problem was that senior managers do not want to make changes; they want things to stay the way they always have been. I offered to audit their informant management system but that was met with “a big NO” from management. This got me thinking about why managers are prepared to run unnecessary risks when managing informants despite the fact that their staff are telling them things need to change. Here are a few thoughts:

1. Many managers have very limited experience in managing informants. They just don’t understand the risks involved.

2. Managers can’t see the risks involved in managing informants because they have not been trained in informant management nor in risk management.

3. Many managers come from a generation in policing where it was the belief that any officer could recruit and manage a confidential informant - it was just the same as talking. No special skills were needed. It is a bit like saying anyone can shoot a gun.

4. Managers don’t want to tell their managers that they don’t have the knowledge to do the job they have been asked to do..

5. Managers don’t want to rock the boat. If they unearth problems it may affect their promotion if they air them.

6. There is no personal downside to leaving the informant management system the way it is. They didn’t make it so they can’t be blamed when it goes wrong.

7. Managers don’t want to admit that their staff know more about a topic than they do. ‘I’m the boss so I must know more than you.’ An ego driven fallacy.

8. Informants don’t matter. If something happens to them: So sad too bad! This way of thinking stems from managers having no personal contact with the confidential informant. Professional handlers know it is their job to protect and help the informant.

9. Managers worry about the cost of making changes. If you want a safe informant management system it costs money in terms of training, IT and staffing.

10. Managers don’t want to make the effort. Undertaking a review of an informant management system may be a big job. Lots may need to be done.to make it safe and effective and the manager cannot see the benefit for them or the agency in making the changes.

My sympathy is extended to professional officers who are trying to make changes in their organisation for the benefit of the organisation and the benefit of the public. Their professionalism is stifled by managers who, arguably through no fault of their own, do not have the knowledge or experience to see that change is needed.

And perhaps the most telling tale is that with many police agencies, even when they are offered a free expert audit, they still don’t want it done. They don’t want anyone turning over the rock and finding out how bad it is underneath. Better to leave things as they are and hopefully, fingers-crossed, nothing goes wrong and even if it does there will always be someone else to blame.

A professional finds the way to deal hard truths, the fool will spend their effort hiding from them.