603Informants

Policy 603San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 1Informants 603.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for the use of informants. 603.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Informant - A person who covertly interacts with other individuals or suspects at the direction of, request of, or by agreement with, the San Luis Obispo Police Department for law enforcement purposes. This also includes a person agreeing to supply information to the San Luis Obispo Police Department for a benefit (e.g., a quid pro quo in the form of a reduced criminal penalty, money). 603.2 INFORMANT FILE SYSTEM 603.2.1 FILE SYSTEM PROCEDURE San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Informants Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 2. . 603.3 USE OF INFORMANTS Before using an individual as a confidential informant, an officer must receive approval from the SET Supervisor. The officer shall compile sufficient information through a background investigation in order to determine the reliability, credibility and suitability, of the individual, including age, maturity and risk of physical harm. 603.3.1 JUVENILE INFORMANTS . . 603.4 POLICY The San Luis Obispo Police Department recognizes the value of informants to law enforcement efforts and will strive to protect the integrity of the informant process. It is the policy of this department that all funds related to informant payments will be routinely audited and that payments to informants will be made according to the criteria outlined in this policy. 603.5 INFORMANT INTEGRITY San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Informants Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 3. 603.5.1 UNSUITABLE INFORMANTS San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Informants Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 4603.6 INFORMANT FILES Informant files shall be utilized as a source of background information about the informant, to enable review and evaluation of information provided by the informant, and to minimize incidents that could be used to question the integrity of department members or the reliability of the informant. . The Investigation Division Chief should arrange for an audit using a representative sample of randomly selected informant files on a periodic basis, but no less than one time per year. If the Special Enforcement Team supervisor is replaced, the files will be audited before the new supervisor takes over management of the files. The purpose of the audit is to ensure compliance with file content and updating provisions of this policy. The audit should be conducted by a supervisor who does not have normal access to the informant files. 603.6.1 FILE SYSTEM PROCEDURE San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Informants Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 5603.7 INFORMANT PAYMENTS No informant will be told in advance or given an exact amount or percentage for his/her service. The amount of funds to be paid to any informant will be evaluated against the following criteria: •The extent of the informant's personal involvement in the case •The significance, value or effect on crime •The value of assets seized •The quantity of the drugs or other contraband seized •The informant’s previous criminal activity •The level of risk taken by the informant The Special Enforcement Team supervisor will discuss the above factors with the Operations Division Chief and recommend the type and level of payment subject to approval by the Chief of Police. 603.7.1 PAYMENT PROCESS San Luis Obispo Police Department San Luis Obispo PD CA Policy Manual Informants Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/10/31, All Rights Reserved. Published with permission by San Luis Obispo Police DepartmentInformants - 6603.7.2 REPORTING OF PAYMENTS 603.7.3 AUDIT OF PAYMENTS The Special Enforcement Team supervisor or the authorized designee shall be responsible for compliance with any audit requirements associated with grant provisions and applicable state and federal law.