How should you handle confidential informants?

• A. Share their information with all officers.
• B. Post their names publicly.
• C. Verify credibility, maintain safety, document the relationship, and protect the informant’s identity and information.
• D. Ignore safety concerns.

Answer: (C)

Handling confidential informants requires verifying credibility, maintaining safety, documenting the relationship, and protecting the informant’s identity and information. Verify credibility before acting on tips to avoid chasing unreliable leads and to keep the investigation trustworthy; corroborate details, assess past reliability, and consider the source’s history. Maintain safety by evaluating risks to the informant and officers, using protective measures, and planning operations to minimize exposure and harm. Document the relationship and all interactions carefully so there is a clear record of disclosures, terms of involvement, and the flow of information, which supports accountability and proper use in investigations. Protect the informant’s identity and information by restricting access to those with a legitimate need, using codes or redacted identifiers when possible, and securing records to prevent disclosure. Following these practices helps preserve safety, legal and ethical standards, and the integrity of the investigation.

Sharing information with all officers, posting names publicly, or ignoring safety concerns would undermine confidentiality and put people at risk, which is why those options are not appropriate.