Working behind the scenes
Posted on Sunday, July 20, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/brog/News/62233/
Ann believes she is doing her part in the war against drugs.
Her role — a confidential informant — is essential in law-enforcement efforts to combat drug crimes.
Confidential informants are a necessary part of law enforcement, according to Sgt. Jared Crabtree, who heads the narcotics unit of the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, and Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Van Stone.
Ann, which is not her real name, became an informant a few years ago.
Her now deceased mother had experience with drugs. Ann has her own drug history, and she had friends who ran in those circles.
She now uses that history and experience to help law enforcement.
“ When (drug dealers ) offered my daughter drugs, that was it, ” Ann said.
Ann then decided to use her knowledge of drug activity to aid law enforcement.
Ann believes she is on the same side as law enforcement. It’s her way to keep drugs away from her daughter and other children.
Crabtree and Stone said law-enforcement personnel sometimes need confidential informants such as Ann.
“ It’s common sense, ” Stone said. “ You have to have someone involved with the drug trade or someone who can introduce you to someone involved with drugs. ”
Crabtree said there is risk and danger involved, but a confidential informant is usually in a safer position than an undercover officer.
“ CIs typically blend in better and already have some association with these organizations, “ Crabtree said. “ Undercover deputies have to build a rapport with the suspects and gain acceptance. ”
Some people act as confidential informants to work off their charges, which means they are facing criminal charges and seek a lighter punishment.
Some are essentially professional informants who are paid for their work.
Crabtree said there’s also the good-citizen informants who are mainly interested in living in a safer community.
Crabtree said the amount varies on how much money is paid to a confidential informant.
The pay is based on factors ranging from the number of deals or operations involved, the complications and the risk, and the experience of the CI, Crabtree said.
He said law enforcement looks for specific traits in people to be confidential informants.
“ We look for people that are credible and reliable, ” Crabtree said. “ We are putting faith in them to handle operations, which means dealing with illegal drugs and money. We want a person to be able to think fast on their feet. ”
Chief Public Defender Jay Saxton sees both good and bad in confidential informants.
“ I can’t give you a blanket statement whether it’s good or bad, ” Saxton said. “ Sometimes it helps my clients, but in other cases it may hurt other clients. ”
After some clients are arrested, Saxton said, they usually have made an agreement with police to act as confidential informants before their cases reach him.
Saxton believes it would be beneficial for people to have an agreement in writing that spells out what they have to do and what they will get in return.
If the agreement is in writing, Saxton said, he then will know what promises were made to his clients in return for acting as confidential informants. “ It’s a cloud of mystery sometimes and police may not remember what they did as confidential informants, Saxton said.
He also believes prosecutors should have a database of confidential informants.
If a case goes to court, Saxton said, defense attorneys may point out a confidential informant’s criminal history during a jury trial, and also point out what the person received in exchange for his or her testimony.
Police have safeguards and procedures in place to ensure that confidential informants are reliable witnesses, Stone said.
During jury selection, Stone said, prosecutors have to explain why confidential informants are necessary to law enforcement.
“ If the procedures are followed, confidential informants are like any other witnesses, and we have to corroborate their testimony, ” Stone said. “ The use of a confidential informant is no big deal. ”
A confidential informant’s identity will be revealed during the court process, especially if the case goes to trial.
Stone said sometimes police may ask to maintain the secrecy of the confidential informant’s identity because the person is still being worked. Secrecy is maintained as long as it does not infringe on any of the defendant’s rights.
It’s rare for a confidential informant’s identity to remain a secret through the entire court case, Stone said.
Crabtree said informants are not only important in drug crimes, but informants also assist police in solving other crimes, including homicides.
“ There’s a commonly used motto in law enforcement that you are only as good as your informant, ” Crabtree said.
Ann is proud of her work with law enforcement. She’s not concerned about her safety.
Ann believes it’s common knowledge in some circles that she’s a “ snitch, ” but she still readily gives information to authorities when she learns about it.
“ We are kicking (expletive ), ” she said of her work with another agency.