Posted: February 9th, 2023
Assignment Guidelines
You and your partner are running a string of informants in a major street crimes unit that includes narcotics, weapons, and organized crime. One informant is a beautiful young woman who was caught with some marijuana and is now working with your team, identifying drug dealers. She has been flirting with every male member of the team, and even with a female member on one occasion. You have a second informant who is very friendly and brings coffee and pastries to meetings with the team. You note that he is being treated by the team as a member of the team. Finally, a third informant who is a paid informant is a dynamo. He brings six or seven issues at a time for the team to work on. He gets paid by his production and seizures in the cases he comes up with. You notice he is starting to overwhelm the team with potential targets of criminal activity.
SOLUTION
As a member of the team running the string of informants, it is important to maintain professional boundaries and not let personal relationships interfere with the work. The first informant’s behavior of flirting with the team members could potentially compromise the investigation if any of the team members take advantage of the situation. It’s important to make sure that all interactions with the informant are done in a professional manner, and if necessary, to reassign her to another team member to avoid conflicts of interest.
The second informant, who brings coffee and pastries, may be attempting to build a rapport with the team and gain their trust. However, it’s important to remember that this person is an informant and should be treated as such. Gifts and friendly gestures should not be accepted, as they can create a conflict of interest and compromise the investigation.
The third informant, who is a paid informant and a “dynamo,” may be providing valuable information to the team. However, it’s important to make sure that the team does not become overwhelmed by the amount of information provided. The team should prioritize the information and focus on the most important and relevant leads. Additionally, the team should make sure that the informant is following the proper procedures for sharing information, such as obtaining consent from the relevant authorities, to avoid any legal or ethical issues.
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