I was asked yesterday has to what makes confidential informant (Human Source) training provided by HSM Training different from other providers. I wasn’t quite sure where to start. Then it dawned on me that it doesn’t actually start with us, it starts with the customer and what they need. And what they need is not always what they want.
confidential informant management
Here is an article about confidential informant management in Orange County, California. There have been problems here for a number of years and the fallout continues.
There is so much wrong here with regard to the evidence the officer provides I am not quite sure where to start. However, assuming the officer is being honest it indicates a system that was totally dysfunctional.
We are always on the lookout for material that may be of use to officers. This is a very clear explanation of case law that affects the use confidential informants in New Mexico specifically and USA generally. It goes to two issues whether or not a person was “seized” and “reasonable suspicion” based on the word of an informant.
Erik Scramlin (lawyer) explains both issues well. Thanks to him for sharing his insight.
It is always worth examining the nuances involved around using information obtained from informants.
Here is a story from New Albany, Indiana about a police officer that went well and truly down the wrong road with a confidential informant, (human source, CHIS). This type of think could have happened in many police departments. The case is far from unique. No doubt everyone is seeking to cast all the blame on the officer. Time would be better spent looking at how this behaviour occurred and how it continued for two years.
Here is a story from Minneapolis about the destruction of police records some of them pertaining to confidential informants. In one case the records were destroyed by police and in the other as a result of public disorder.
This article discusses the use of the VeriNote app and its utility in confidential informant management. There are a lot of features about this product that make it ideal for officers involved in managing confidential sources (HUMINT, covert human intelligence sources, CHIS, and confidential human sources). Here we list some of the features that will make it very appealing to anyone involved in this type of work.
There is little point in collecting information from a confidential informant if the police can’t use it. How to use it in a way that is lawful and defendable is problematic for some agencies. The consequences of getting wrong are well documented and have resulted in deaths and lawsuits. This article discusses one such lawsuit and provides details of how to build a system to make sure everything is done lawfully and ethically. The article also addresses what needs to be done to ensure that informant information is used properly in obtaining warrants.
An article about the benefits of using software in the management of confidential informants (human sources, CHIS, HUMINT) The article lists the advantages and the cost savings that can be made. It provides examples of informant software options available and details some of the things a Chief of Police should look for in buying a system. Corruption relating to confidential informants is a big problem. Software solutions go a long way towards managing all the risks present for police officers engaged in this activity.
