Here is an article t from the New Haven Independent about a report into confidential informant management gone wrong in the New Have Police Department. The report provided by PERF is worth a read if your agency is involved in managing confidential informants. There is a lot in it.
At HSM Training and consultancy we offer audits to agencies in relation to their systems for managing confidential informants and intelligence collection. We have a lot of experience in this area. It is are core business and we have written extensively on how to manage informants properly. Here are a few observations we would make>#
Don’t wait until something goes wrong before having your systems audited - do it now.
Policy and procedures need to be kept separate. Policy is for public consumption and one or two pages will normally cover it. Procedures need to contain sensitive police methodology and should be protectively marked and kept from public disclosure.
Train your staff. If they are not properly trained they should not be managing informants. Basic training takes one week of classroom based activities which should focus solely on managing informants - nothing else
Keep your records on a secret purpose built system designed for informant management.
On cost all we will say is that for $87000 had you asked us you would have had your report and you would have had new policies and procedures written that would cover every aspect of taking information from members of the public including confidential informants and you would have 80 officers properly trained in basic source management or 40 officers with advance training in proactive recruitment and management. You would also have effective risk management processes in place.
What you get for your money always matters. Unfortunately for the Chief in New Haven he now has to go looking for someone to write the procedures and spend more money on training.