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35.3 INFORMANTS Page 1 of 7 EDGEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDER # 35.3 USE OF INFORMANTS & INVESTIGATIVE FUNDS Effective Date: March 20, 2010 The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the use of informants and the expenditure of agency investigative funds. This policy shall consist of the following numbered sections: I. General II. Informant Procedures III. Investigative Fund Procedures I. GENERAL A. The agency shall comply with all the provisions of “Rachel’s Law” FSS 914.28 . B. All informants shall be properly registered. C. To properly register an informant all appropriate agency forms shall be completed. Any agency sworn officer may utilize informants but such usage must be in accordance with this policy. 1. The agency investigator shall ensure that the informant forms are properly completed prior to the informant being utilized. 2. The agency investigator shall be responsible for establishing an informant file for each informant. Each informant fi le shall contain all informant forms and any other information and/or documents required by this policy for each individual informant. 3. The agency investigator shall be responsible for filing all informant files in the master file. 4. The master file shall be kept in a locked file cabinet located in the office of the agency investigator. 5. The security of informant personal information is of paramount importance. The agency investigator shall utilize any and all methods available to protect the identity of agency informants. These methods shall include but not be limited to the following: a. Ensuring that all agency personnel utilizing informants are made aware of the importance of not releasing informant p ersonal information. 35.3 INFORMANTS Page 2 of 7 b. Ensuring that all agency personnel utilizing informants have read and fully comprehend the agency informant policy. c. Ensuring that all agency personnel utilizing informants fully understand that the inadvertent compromise of informant personal information may result in the death of, or great bodily harm to, the informant. d. The agency investigator ensu ring that at no time will the master file ever be left unattended when not secured in the locked filing cabinet. e. The agency investigator ensuring that personnel are aware that informant information is not subject to public records requ ests f. The agency investigator shall ensure that notation is made of each person who accesses records and the date the records are accessed. D. The following information shall be entered on the informant form. 1. Full biographical informa tion on the informant to include but not be limited to the following: a. Full name b. Date of birth c. Place of birth d. Current residence address e. Social security number f. Driver’s license number or Florida I.D. Card number 2. Informant background information to include but not be limited to the following: a. Criminal history record copy (if applicable) b. Drivers record (if applicable) E. Each informant file shall contain, in addition to the agency informant forms, the following information: 1. Current picture of the informant 2. Copy of the informant’s driver’s license a. If the informant has no driver’s license a state I.D. card may be substituted b. If the informant has no driver’s licen se or state I.D. card a photographic I.D. may be substituted. 3. Code name or number of the informant. a. The agency investigator shall be responsible for the issuance of informant code names and /or code numbers. b. Only one alias i s authorized for each informant and it must be included on the proper agency informant form. F. Each informant file shall contain information on only one informant. G. The agency investigator shall be responsible for maintenance of the informant files and master file. 35.3 INFORMANTS Page 3 of 7 H. A review of agency confidential informant files shall be performed by the agency investigator on an annual basis to ensure conformity with agency policy and state statute I. The agency investigator shall be respo nsible for review and oversight of confidential informant practices. J. Deactivated confidential informant files shall be retained in accordance with state records retention laws II. INFORMANT PROCEDURES A. Any agency member may utilize informants 1. The procedures for the use of informants shall be the same for patrol officers and officers in other assignments. 2. Prior supervisory approval is a requirement for any and all informant usage. 3. Personnel shall be trained i n the agency policy requirements and procedures, and shall keep documentation demonstrating the date of all such training. B. Prior to utilizing informants , officers shall: 1. Thoroughly document the informant in accordance with agency p olicy utilizing only approved agency forms. 2. Assure that the confidential informant is advised of conditions, restrictions, and procedures associated with his or her participation in the state or local agency’s investigative or intelligence -gathering activities. 3. Ensure that the informant is issued a code name/code number by which that informant shall be known while working for the agency. 4. Ensure that his/her supervisor is aware of, and approves the usage of, the informa nt. 5. Ensure that prior to the usage of any informant, the informant is aware of, and agrees to, any cash payments from the agency for his or her services. 6. Ensure that prior to the usage of any informant the agency investigator, or his designee approves of any financial arrangements made between the officer and