TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES MANUAL
VICE, NARCOTICS AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT UNIT
SUBJECT

Use and Control of Informants
BUREAU COMMANDER
Proudly Policing Since 1841

NUMBER

Nationally Accredited 1986

ISSUE DATE

VICE 6

11/15/2001

EFFECTIVE DATE

TOTAL PAGES

11/15/2001

1 of 6

AUTHORITY/RELATED REFERENCES
General Order 14, Confidential/Investigative Expense/Cash Payments
General Order 32, Juvenile Procedures
General Order 62, Use and Control of Informants
ACCREDITATION REFERENCES
CALEA Chapters

42, 82

KEY WORD INDEX
Confidential Informant Compensation Protocols: Procedure IV
Confidential Informant Files: Procedure I
Deactivation of Confidential Informants: Procedure V
Documentation of Confidential Informants: Procedure II
Utilization of Confidential Informants: Procedure III
POLICY
The utilization of informants and confidential informants is lawful and often
essential to the effectiveness of properly authorized law enforcement
investigations. The Police Department recognizes that special care must be
taken to carefully evaluate and closely supervise their use.
DEFINITIONS
Confidential Informant (CI): Any non-law enforcement person who, by reason
of their familiarity or close association with criminals, supplies regular or constant
information about criminal activities to a member, or is paid to supply information,
or receives a recommendation of reduced charges for confidential information, or

TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
makes a controlled “buy” (i.e., stolen property, controlled substances, etc.).
Confidential Source: Any individual stipulating confidentiality, who is freely
providing intelligence or investigative information on a “one-time” basis, or
responding to questions during a field interview, or in a custody interview.
Juvenile Informant: A person, under the age of eighteen (18) years, who, by
reason of their familiarity or close association with criminals, supplies regular or
constant information about criminal activities to a member, or is paid to supply
information, or receives a recommendation of reduced charges for confidential
information, or makes a controlled “buy” (i.e., stolen property, controlled
substances, etc.).
Permission must be first obtained by the juvenile’s
parent/guardian, member’s supervisor and the Chief of Police or designee.
Reliable Confidential Informant (RCI): A confidential informant who has
furnished information in two separate matters, is found to be reliable through
independent sources and investigation and has satisfactorily fulfilled all other
criteria.
PROCEDURES
I.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT FILES
A. The Vice, Narcotics and Technical Support Unit shall be responsible
for the maintenance of ALL confidential informant files for the
department. A documentation file shall be established for each
informant and placed into this master file.
B. It is the responsibility of the Criminal Investigations Division
Commander or designee to ensure that all information is kept in a
secure manner that rigidly protects the confidentiality of the confidential
informant.
C. In order to maintain the security and confidentiality of the
documentation file, only the originating member may authorize
dissemination of personal information concerning the confidential
informant.
D. The confidential informant files are subject to inspection by the Chief of
Police or his designee.

II.

DOCUMENTATION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS
A. Members shall document any persons intended to be utilized as a
confidential informant or who are currently being utilized as a

VICE 6-2

TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
confidential informant by following the prescribed procedures, as soon
as practical.
B. A member seeking to document a confidential informant must have the
approval of their supervisor and shall then complete an informant
documentation package containing the following items:
1. Confidential Informant Worksheet containing personal background
and biographical information (PD 212).
2. Photographs and fingerprints.
3. A Confidential Informant Code of Conduct (PD 213).
4. Permission to Intercept Oral Communications waiver form (PD
214).
5. Confidential Informant Contact Log (PD 215).
6. Informant Documentation Check List for checks of a prior criminal
history, indictments, probation/parole status and outstanding
warrants (PD 211).
7. Informant File Update Sheet (PD 217).
C. The Vice, Narcotics and Technical Support Unit supervisor or designee
shall review the informant documentation package and upon approval
issue a confidential informant (CI) control number.
D. The CI control number shall be utilized for the documentation of
payments, tracking of the CI activities, and as appropriate within other
reports and documents.
E. If it is determined that the confidential informant is currently assisting
another agency, the agency shall be contacted to determine that no
duplication of efforts will occur, as well as to establish the reliability of
the confidential informant.
F. If it is determined that the confidential informant is currently on
probation or parole status, the investigator shall obtain permission from
the supervising Probation or Parole Office and the State Attorney’s
Office.
III.

UTILIZATION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS

VICE 6-3

TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
A. Members shall not initially approach confidential informants with
discussions regarding payment or compensation for information or
services.
While the confidential informant may initiate these
discussions, no agreements shall be made without the approval of the
supervisor.
B. Making in person contacts with confidential informants, when possible
and practical, shall be made by at least two members.
C. In situations where the member must meet the confidential informant
alone, especially where the confidential informant is of the opposite
sex or their known sexual preference is that of the member or they are
a juvenile, the supervisor shall be notified prior to contact.
D. Each contact with a confidential informant shall be documented on the
Confidential Informant Contact Log (PD 215), which shall remain a
component of the informant documentation package.
E. A confidential informant who has furnished information in two separate
matters, is found to be reliable through independent sources and
investigation and has satisfactorily fulfilled all other criteria shall be
considered a reliable confidential informant (RCI).
F. Intelligence Information provided by the confidential informant shall be
documented on a Criminal Intelligence Report (PD 183) and forwarded
to the Criminal Intelligence Unit for use by the appropriate investigative
units.
G. Patrol Officers seeking to utilize a confidential informant shall comply
with all requirements. The unique nature of the uniform patrol
assignment may dictate the need for assistance of a plainclothes
investigator, but in all cases must be coordinated through the
member’s supervisor.
H. Members shall avoid any personal contact with confidential informants
outside the on-duty professional relationship established for
investigative purposes.
IV.

CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANT COMPENSATION PROTOCOLS
A. All agreements for payments to a confidential informant shall be
approved by the member’s supervisor prior to any disbursement.
B. All payments to confidential informants shall be in compliance with
General Order 14, Cash Management.

VICE 6-4

TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
C. All payments to confidential informants shall be made in the presence
of at least two (2) members and shall be documented with proper
signatures on the Confidential Cash Receipt (PD 166).
D. The member shall record all payments to confidential informants on the
Confidential Informant Payment Log (PD 216), which shall remain a
component of the informant documentation package.
V.

DEACTIVATION OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMANTS
A. The Vice, Narcotics and Technical Support Unit supervisor or designee
shall review confidential informant files on a regular basis.
B. Confidential Informant files indicating that the informant is not being
used in a timely manner shall be reviewed with the originating member
to determine if the informant can be de-activated.
C. If it is determined at any point that the continuing use of a confidential
informant is no longer beneficial to the department, the originating
member or supervisor shall complete the termination information sheet
(PD 211) in order to de-activate the confidential informant.
D. A member may request that a confidential informant be re-activated
upon demonstrating specific needs and benefits. The Vice, Narcotics
and Technical Support supervisor shall review the request and if
approved shall issue a confidential informant control number.

VI.

USE OF JUVENILE INFORMANTS
A. A juvenile will be defined as an informant when:
1. Paid to supply information.
2. Receiving a “consideration” of reduced or dropped charges for
information.
3. Asked to make a controlled “buy” (i.e., stolen property, controlled
substance, etc.).
B. Any juvenile who freely provides information will not be considered as
an informant. (In other words, a juvenile voluntarily giving information,
or responding to questions during a field interview, or in a custody
interview would not be defined as an informant).
C. Juveniles will not be used an informants unless prior approval has
been granted by both the:

VICE 6-5

TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

1. Officer’s immediate supervisor.
2. Juvenile’s parent/guardian.
D. The Chief of Police must authorize the use of a paid juvenile informant.
E. Provisions of General Order 62 must be followed concerning control
and recording of use of informants.

VICE 6-6