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.

Human source management

Law Enforcement and the Concept of HUMINT

Law enforcement officers do NOT undertake HUMINT operations in the way the term is traditionally understood, and commonly used within law enforcement. There are good reasons to stop misusing the term.

The term HUMINT originated within the U.S. military in the 1970s as a broad category encompassing a wide range of human‑based collection methods, including surveillance, witness interviews, undercover activities, espionage and human source handling, and the interrogation or debriefing of prisoners of war.

What makes a confidential informant manager trustworthy - HUMINT Skills

Here are a number of traits that anyone involved in managing confidential informants (Human source, HUMINT, Covert Human Intelligence Source, CHIS) 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.

Australian Royal Commission on the management of police informants

Australian Royal Commission on the management of police informants

The report of the Royal Commission into the Management of Police Informants in Victoria, Australia has been released. This article gives some of the background to the case and addresses some of the main recommendations of the report. The report establishes best practice for all law enforcement agencies in Australia and contains a lot of learning for those outside Australia that are involved in managing informants.

Confidential Informant Management goes wrong

Another story relating to confidential informant ( human source, HUMINT, CHIS) management that we can all learn from. This news story from Florida makes for sad reading as we see how an officers career has been destroyed and the reputation of the Drug Enforcement Agency dragged down with it

Motives and Motivations of Confidential Informants

Many people are interested in what motivates an confidential informant ( aka: human source, covert human intelligence source, CHIS, HUMINT) to assist law enforcement. The question is often asked as to why someone becomes an informant. Understanding an informant’s motives for providing information is fundamental to managing them effectively. This article points people in the right direction as to how to find out what really works when it comes to motivating a confidential informant.

HUMINT and CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT and HUMAN SOURCE - The differences

An explanation of the similarities and differences in the terms HUMINT, confidential informant, human source, and covert human intelligence source (CHIS). Discusses the training involved for each function.

WHAT IS A HUMAN SOURCE ? A DEFINITION

A definition of a human source. This is a term that is used by the FBI to describe confidential informants. It is also widely used in Canada UK and Australia. A clear definition provided with an explanation of the key elements.

Confidential informant laws

Discusses proposed confidential informant law in Minnesota. An article discussing the need to train police officers to manage informants well.

Confidential informant management and corruption

Analysing why agencies wont change their behaviour to manage confidential informants professionally. The article discusses law enforcement corruption linked to managing confidential sources ( human sources, CHIS)

Narcotics, confidential informants and corruptions.

Corruption investigation in Detroit relating to Confidential Informants and their mismanagement. Some tips to avoid similar situations.