Knowing when you need help is not always the easiest thing to identify. Asking for it is not the easiest thing to do. I came across three stories in my inbox this morning and all provide clear indicators of when an agency needs help revising their informant management systems and processes.
The stories are varied but all refer to the poor management of confidential informants.These stories tell of police corruption and crime. In one case two people are dead and a number of officers seriously injured. These incidents were avoidable. The issues that created these events are present in many law enforcement agencies. All these events are avoidable if the agency has in place effective confidential informant management systems. Unfortunately many agencies have systems that were evolved over time and/or have been created by officers over confident in their knowledge of informant management risks and how to manage those risks. And unfortunately many Chiefs are blind to how ineffective their systems are.
How these cases could have been avoided takes expert knowledge of the psychology of police corruption and a broad and deep breadth of knowledge on informant management. The macho culture of policing, often driven by the egos of those involved, creates a set of circumstances where it is almost impossible for a Chief of Police to say: “Stop. We can’t fix this. I’m going to ask for help.”
A full audit will inform the Police Chief, the nature and extent of any problems, the strengths and weaknesses in their informant management system, the effectiveness of their informant policy and their training needs.
At HSM we want to help. We have the knowledge to help. Help is confidential and it will take one email to start the process: info@hsmtraining.com. Or call + 44 7739 370 969 The choice is yours. Finding out what we can do for you costs nothing.
