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Types and Methods of Informants & Surveillance

The document discusses different types of informants that provide information to police, including anonymous informants, rival informants seeking to eliminate competition, and mercenary informants who are paid. It also discusses various motives that informants may have such as vanity, fear, or seeking payment. Surveillance is described as the secret observation of individuals, places, or vehicles to obtain information, and can involve stakeouts or tailing a subject. Effective surveillance requires careful planning and note-taking without revealing the surveillance activities.

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Wenzyll Heart Jamil
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132 views3 pages

Types and Methods of Informants & Surveillance

The document discusses different types of informants that provide information to police, including anonymous informants, rival informants seeking to eliminate competition, and mercenary informants who are paid. It also discusses various motives that informants may have such as vanity, fear, or seeking payment. Surveillance is described as the secret observation of individuals, places, or vehicles to obtain information, and can involve stakeouts or tailing a subject. Effective surveillance requires careful planning and note-taking without revealing the surveillance activities.

Uploaded by

Wenzyll Heart Jamil
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

INFORMANT – is a person who gives information to the police relevant to a criminal case about the activities of

criminals or syndicates

TYPES OF INFORMANTS

Anonymous informant – do not wish to be identified.

Rival elimination informant – to eliminate competition.

False informant – reveals information of no consequence or value.

Frightened informant – motivated by anxiety.

Self-aggrandizing – hangs about the fringes of the criminals.

Mercenary informant – gives information for a price.

Double crosser informant – to get more information from the police.

Woman informant – female associate of the criminals.

Legitimate informant – operators of legitimate business establishments.

MOTIVES OF INFORMANTS

Vanity

Civic-mindedness

Fear

Repentance

Avoidance of punishment

Competition

Revenge

Jealousy

Remuneration

SURVEILLANCE – is the secret observation of persons, places and vehicles for the purpose of obtaining information
concerning the identities or activities of the subject.

Surveillance of Place (fixed/ stake-out)

Shadowing

Roping
SURVEILLANT – is the person who maintains the surveillance or performs the observation.

SUBJECT – the person or place being watched or surveyed.

KINDS OF SURVEILLANCE

Surveillance of places
Tailing or shadowing
Undercover investigation or roping

How to conduct surveillance of place?

A careful survey of the surrounding area should be made. The character of the neighborhood, residents and
transient should be noted. The observation point should be selected properly. When observation is conducted from a
‘plant’, surveillance agents must be extremely careful not to reveal their true activity. Observation maybe made through
a window or other aperture so as to be unnoticed from the outside. Venetian blinds afford the best coverage, but may
appear to be out of place of some buildings. An alternative is to lower the roller of draw shades another inch from the
window. Binoculars are generally essentially equipment of the plants, as they facilitate positive identification of person
entering or leaving the place under and observation. A still or video camera with telephoto lens can also be used
effectively. Agents should take careful notes of what they observe and should record detailed descriptions of all
individuals entering the target. A chronological log is usually the best of recording pertinent occurrences.

TAILING OR SHADOWING – is the act of following a person, depends on the number of surveillant available, volume
of pedestrian traffic and importance of concealing the surveillance.

METHODS OF SHADOWING

One man –extremely difficult and should be avoided, if unavoidable keep subject in view at all times.

Two man – two agents are employed to follow the subject.

ABC method – reduces the risk of losing the subject, affords greater security agents detection.

Progressive/Leap from method – poor chances of obtaining good results, agents are stations at a fixed point
assuming that subject followed the same general route each day.

Combined foot-auto surveillance – employment of surveillants on foot and agents in an automobile.

What are the things that should be avoided during shadowing?

Don’t meet the eye of the subject

Don’t adopt a slinking, sleuthing, creeping manner

Don’t wear story book disguises

Don’t carry noticeable items

Don’t greet fellow agents

Don’t make notations ostensibly

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