Criminal Investigation Chapter 8 PDF

Preview

Summary

Criminal Investigation With Dr. Wydra...

Description

❖ Chapter 8: Informant Management and Undercover Operations ➢ Vocabulary: ■ Informant- Anyone who provides information of an investigative nature to law enforcement authorities. ■ Credibility- One’s ability to be believed ■ Motivations- Reasons why someone does something ■ Entrapment- When an undercover officer convinces a criminal suspect to commit a crime he or she was nor predisposed to commit. ■ Deep Cover- Working undercover for extended period of time. ■ Cover Story- A fictitious story by an undercover investigator to explain his or her presence as a drug buyer to criminal suspects. ➢ Informants and their Uses ■ Informant ● Anyone who provides information of an investigative nature to law enforcement ■ Confidential Informant ■ *Reliable Confidential Informant: proven reliable by documented information that led to arrests and convictions ■ Informants can be: ● Average citizens ● Anonymous tipsters ● Fellow law enforcement: credible sources ● Criminals ■ Informants can provide introductions for undercover officers ■ Problems that can stem from use of informants ● Difficult to control ◆ Involved in criminal activity ◆ Discuss confidential information ◆ Involved in drug/alcohol use ● Credibility ■ Informant motivations ● Fearful ● Financially motivated ● Revengeful ● Egotistical ● Perversely motivated ● Reformed ➢ Documentation of Informants ■ Includes: ● Fingerprinting and photographing ● Careful interview by investigators before use as an informant

➢

➢

➢

➢

➢

➢

● Background check Maintaining Control of an Informant ■ Control of informants best achieved through frequent personal contact with them. ■ Instruction in the area of entrapment ● Giving suspect “opportunity” for commission of a crime, not “motivation” Legal Framework of Informant Management ■ Aguilar v. Texas (1964) ■ Spinelli v. United States (1969) ■ Veracity of Informant information Undercover Operations ■ Benefits ● Highly specialized: not all law enforcement can operate undercover ● Provides considerable information that is not otherwise available through traditional investigative methods ● Officer must assume identity and lifestyle immersed in criminal subculture where there is a temptation to do immoral or illegal things. ● Claims of entrapment ● Surveillance officers monitoring ● Back -up team in proximity ● Gain trust of suspect Undercover Work Environment ■ The cover story ● Keep it simple and try not to lie (too much) ● Should fit with the area and people involved ● Place of employment should be difficult to check ● Appearance and mannerisms should fit the cover story. Protecting Undercover Officer’s “Cover” ■ Consistency in cover story ● Keep cover story general so most questioning and suspicion can be easily overcome. ■ Staying calm ● Do not show nervousness ● Do not panic Infiltration ■ During infiltration, a relationship is established between the officer and a suspect. ■ Sometimes will require an informant to assist initially

● When no informant is used: do your homework ◆ Canvass area - blend in ◆ Conduct surveillance ◆ Gather intelligence...