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.

Securing documentation - Intelligence Work 101

A distressing story from West Midlands UK about the loss of confidential intelligence on gang members. This article discusses why losing confidential material of this type, should not happen. We are in the 21st Century and there are secure encrypted methods for keeping intelligence safely and a handwritten police notebook is not one of them.

Avoiding confidential informant related corruption.

There have been serious allegations of corruption in Detroit Police Department involving a narcotics unit and the mismanagement of confidential informant finances. There are always risks when it comes to managing confidential informants (HUMINT, Human Sources, Covert Human Intelligence Sources) This article discusses some of the ways to manage these risks.

Managing Insider Threats within Your organisation

Insiders pose a real risk for organisations. How we can go about managing that threat and how to manage the risk is discussed in a recent podcast for IdentityToday with Blair Crawford of Daltrey

HUMINT and Managing Confidential Informants - knowing the difference.

It is far from unusual to come across law enforcement agencies where the term HUMINT is used, or to come across law enforcement officers who talk about having attended HUMINT training or that they are involved in HUMINT activities. Here,we will discuss to concepts HUMINT and Human Source Management (aka informant management) and identify some of the differences in the two disciplines.

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

Understanding why people react to hurt. A guide to ego defense mechanisms

We all hurt at some time, in some way. Having a better understanding of the nature of pain and how we may respond to that pain allows us to better manage our behavior.

Reducing Confidential informant Related Corruption

This article relates to informant management that resulted in a Chicago police officer being sentence to seven years imprisonment. This story is not about one bad cop, it is about a broken system for managing confidential informants (Confidential Human Sources, HUMINT, Covert Human Intelligence Sources , CHIS)

Confidential Informants Review of Houston Police Narcotics Unit

An article on the need for police chiefs to review their existing structures for the management of confidential informants. the article discusses a recent review of Houston Police Departments narcotics unit following a fatal shooting.

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.

Active listening for police - a skill for conflict avoidance.

A summary of the listening skills required by police officers when dealing with conflict. A brief article explaining the connection between listening skills and human motivation. This will be of interest to any one trying to understand some of the reasons for conflict with police officers.

Human Sources - Managing Confidential Informants NEW BOOK COMING SOON

Human sources, also known as confidential informants, are an essential law enforcement resource in the fight against crime and terrorism. How they are managed has changed little over the years. This book provides law enforcement with details of how to manage human sources, in line with the goals of intelligence-led policing.

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.

Confidential Informant Management - The Need for Dedicated Source Units

An extract from our forthcoming publication HUMAN SOURCES: MANAGING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS. It will be out in July and details the structures need to manage human sources safely and more effectively In the meantime here is a section on the need to mage sources using dedicated officers in Dedicated Source Units.