It is always important to share good practice about managing confidential informants Confidential human sources, Covert human intelligence sources, HUMINT). It is hard to believe that some law enforcement agencies still allow Handlers to meet sources alone. So here is some advice. It’s called: The Rule of Always Two.

There must always be at least two Handlers responsible for the management of a source. With sources who are extremely active, and an additional Handler may be needed to cope with the workload. It is the responsibility of these handlers to manage the source on a daily basis, address their needs, and obtain the information that the source is expected to provide. Sources should never be managed by just one officer. It is an urban myth, proclaimed mainly by insecure officers that ‘the source will only talk to me’. It is a similar mindset as is present when we hear ‘He is my source.’ Both these remarks are an indication that the Handler has lost their objectivity. Two handlers must always be present at all meetings with the source. This is not negotiable.

There are many reasons. First, officer safety. Meeting sources is physically dangerous. If only one officer is present, they are in much greater danger. Second, source safety. The source is in danger during meetings. There is a much better chance of keeping them safe if there are two sets of eyes watching. Third, as we will discuss in detail later, debriefing a source is complex. Two brains are much better than one when it comes to thinking of everything that is needed. Fourth, there is much less chance of an inappropriate relationship developing between handler and source if there are two people present. In source management, there is always the risk of a handler losing objectivity and becoming involved in a personal relationship with the source. This may involve the Handler providing favors for the source or the source providing favors for the handler. Fifth, a source may make allegations that a Handler did something wrong or did not do something they should have done. Having two officers present makes it a lot easier to refute such allegations. Sixth, there is a real risk that the motives of the source are wholly corrupt. They are there just to use the Handler. The source never has the intention to form a mutually beneficial relationship. Unfortunately, with some officers, their egos will not even permit them to acknowledge that they may have been taken in. However, ask any experienced Handler who has been at it a while, and they will tell you, not only when they were taken in, but they will also be able to break it down into the many subtle ways that were used to sucker them. We all like to think we are smarter than everyone else in the room and the smartest person in the room lets us continue to believe it. Remember: ALWAYS TWO