One of the most difficult tasks in law enforcement is figuring out a comprehensive approach to what I call “informant lifecycle management.” You hear such terms as “performance lifecycle management” and “product lifecycle management” in the information technology arena, but I think this approach can be used in law enforcement, too – especially since technology can play an important part in the success of confidential informant management.

Let’s face it. Dealing with informants is a necessary evil. Informants aren’t always the most trustworthy people on the planet. Yet, police and other law enforcement officials are constantly working with informants to cull new leads and prevent criminal activity.

Some of the biggest benefits that technology brings to the table for informant management are reduced risks and reduced liability. Using a computerized system helps officers and handlers follow processes. Processes are good because they drive consistency. Good processes and good technology also help officials capture and document payments, record contact history, and document considerations offered to informants. Good processes engender formal and proper oversight, too.

Before we dig too much into the technology, however, it’s worth pausing to consider one of the most frequent arguments that law enforcement officers use in opposition to automating informant management. They fear that their informants’ identities could be compromised. They prefer to continue to use paper-based systems as a means of protecting informants’ identities.

However, this “scraps of paper” model certainly isn’t the most secure way of doing things, and it does not facilitate connecting the dots on larger criminal investigations. Bottom line – the paper-based system subjects an agency to incredible risks, including informant arrangements that go awry, lost payment history, officer integrity issues, and worst of all, violations of the law.

What’s needed is a system that guides agencies, reduces risks, protects informants’ identities and facilitates search capabilities so intelligence can be analyzed.

It’s an area which will become increasingly important as law enforcement agencies become increasingly sophisticated. How agencies best manage the confidential informant process and deploy successful strategies, utilizing a “best practices” approach is a debate which needs to gather momentum.