John Buckley
Confidential Informant Training - From us, ...

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.

informant management system

Tne consequences of poor confidential informant management

Here is a report relating to a huge number of cases that may be overturned in Georgia as a result of a corrupt relations hip with a confidential informant.

About 450 cases are now being questioned. Think about it it. Either way you look at it it is bad. 450 innocent people in jail or 450 guilty people potentially walk. What is more likely is that it is a combination of the two.

And the damage to the criminal justice system in the State does not ear thinking about.

Why because people do not know how to build a system to manage confidential informants ethically and effectively. And until police departments have such a system then these types of cases will keep on appearing.

Is your department next up?

Compromising a confidential informant - why it might cost you a shit-ton.

It is not unusual for people to ask why we recommend so much training for those involved in managing confidential informants (HUMINT, confidential human sources, CHIS). This week when I pointed out that we would normally spend at least two days solely on risk management this was greeted with incredulity. The question asked was “Why would you to that?”

Confidential informant corruption

Here is one of those stories where you just thing WTF! Our regular readers will be familiar in regard to our advocacy around the need for police chiefs to build suitable structures to minimise the risk of corruption when managing confidential informants while maximising the benefits from them. This of course assumes that the Chief is not involved in the corruption. A recent story relating to Payne Springs Police Department raises concerns. The allegation is that the Chief and one of her officers were using a confidential informant to buy and sell drugs for their personal benefit.

Confidential informant raped - police negligence

Here is a story from Rapides Parish, Louisiana, about the rape of a confidential informant.

What I find disturbing about this report are the remarks of some of the officers involved. The article provides commentary on police attitude to the informant.

Confidential informant compromise - Police Negligence.

Here is a story about the compromise of a list of informants names from Nevada’s Record Courier. A worker in the state’s information technology department, was able to open the file containing the names, addresses and even photos of the informants. If informants are being managed properly this should not be possible. It is negligence on the part of the agency managing the informants. We are putting people’s lives in great danger.

Key advantages of Computerized Confidential Informant Management Records Software

The blog discusses the key benefits for law enforcement in using computerized confidential informant management software. The article highlights the risks that will be managed and some of the cost savings that can be made. The article will be of interest to Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs who are interested in maximising the intelligence gained from informants and at the same time minimizing risk

Human Sources (CHIS) domestic violence and managing risk

An interesting article from the BBC relating to the management of a Covert Human Intelligence Source (CHIS) (confidential informant) and the source’s alleged involvement in domestic violence. This case involves the security service (MI5) and a person they managed as an informant.

Confidential Informant management - hitting the tree

A story from Raleigh, North Carolina about corruption involving a Raleigh police officer and a confidential informant. While the article lacks detail and the investigation is still ongoing, there are a few things we can be fairly sure were wrong.

Confidential Informant and Wrongful convictions - Painful to watch

Poorly managed confidential informants can lead to wrongful convictions. Here is our commentary on the KSAT 12 documentary ‘A Necessary Evil’: The Cost of Confidential Informants,” It makes for painful watching for any law enforcement officer. who knows how to manage confidential informants properly. It provides suggestions as to how to make sure law enforcement agencies have adequate training, systems and software solutions to mage informants properly.

Confidential informants - a high risk business.

Despite significant evidence to the contrary unfortunately, some Police Chiefs think managing confidential informants is a job any of their officers can do. Some fail to recognize the risks involved until it is too late. Just in case you are of a similar mind and can’t see the risks that are ever present, this article provides a few stories to focus the mind about some of the risks that are present.

Bad Information from a confidential Informant costs $2.9 million.

Many of our readers in the USA will be familiar with the case in Chicago of Anjanette Young, where police executed a warrant on her apartment to search for a gun. Without going into all the details of what was done wrong, it has now cost the City of Chicago $2.9 million in compensation for Ms Young. This was an expensive day out for the Chicago Police Department. We can stop the same thing happening to your agency,

Confidential Informant Management - Drug Enforcement Administration

Sometimes we read a story about poor informant management and we shake our head in disbelief. Here is a story about a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officer gone bad.

Undercover operations - Records and accountability and potential corruption

“Cops bought booze, lap dances during undercover strip club probe…” makes for an interesting headline in the New York Post but the whole story raises a lot of questions for the police department involved. More importantly it creates a learning opportunity for other law enforcement agencies when it comes to accountability and record keeping in undercover operations.

Informants, alleged corruption and systemic failures.

A report on a case we are following closely from Carlisle, Pennsylvania, about the trial of a former police officer and his relationship with a number of confidential informants. Allegations of consensual sexual relationships, rape and the supply of heroin to an informant are all in there. While the accused guilt of innocence is, for our purposes, academic, the allegations point to a systemic failure to manage informants safely.