Here are a number of traits that anyone involved in managing confidential informants (Human source) should have. A source should always find that the officer responsible for their safety(the Handler) is trustworthy. If someone is going to be a competent source Handler then these are the elements supervisor’s should look for:
They are a genuine. Handlers must be authentic. No source wants to be around someone who is pretending to be something they are not. While some think they can fake this, they are mistaken.
They have integrity. A Handler must have personal and professional integrity. A source will feel much safer with a handler that has integrity even if at times that integrity conflicts with the desires of the source.
They are consistent in their mood and behavior. Better a consistently grumpy Handler than one whose mood is constantly changing. Consistency equates to safety. Sources want to feel safe.
They are kind and compassionate. A source will often look to how a Handler treats others and how the Handler speaks about others. If the Handler is empathetic and kind to others they are more likely to treat the source well.
They are resourceful. If there is a problem, the source wants to know the handler can deal with it. The good Handler is always learning and growing. This shows out if they continually seek knowledge from and opinions of the source. “What do you think about that?”
They are humble. Who wants to be near an “arrogant prick”? Police officers are rarely seen as being humble. Being humble breaks the negative stereotype. Talking to a humble person is easy . We don’t feel like we are in a competition.
They are available. If you are not there when I need you, how can i trust you. Especially, if you promised you would be. The good Handler makes time for the source. The good Handler takes time to meet the source’s needs
For the most part these cannot be learned. Training may heighten awareness of relevant traits and make the officer aware of negative behaviors. However, if the foundation is not there, it cannot be built upon.
Don’t assume every officer has these traits. Unfortunately there are officers out there who only want to ‘make a case’ . they will take what they can from a confidential informant, with little or no regard for that person. Short term they may get a few results. In the long-term they will cause the agency problems. ANd their results will be limited.
