Confidential Informant Management Flashcards
7 cards from real DEA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Confidential Informant Management flashcards as text
A DEA CS operating in a foreign country reports information about a cartel's transnational operations. Which additional approval layer is required beyond standard domestic CS oversight?
Answer: State Department Country Team notification and DEA Country Attaché approval
CS operations in foreign countries require notification to the State Department Country Team and approval from the DEA Country Attaché to comply with international law and bilateral agreements.
Under DEA policy, which of the following is a handler PROHIBITED from doing with regard to a Confidential Source's personal relationship?
Answer: Entering into any personal, romantic, or financial relationship with the CS
DEA strictly prohibits handlers from developing personal, romantic, or financial relationships with their CS assets, as such relationships compromise objectivity and create serious legal and ethical violations.
When a CS's assistance leads to a drug seizure with an estimated street value of $5 million, the award payment calculation for the CS is primarily based on:
Answer: A percentage of the asset's net proceeds after forfeiture processing and allowable deductions
CS award payments for asset seizures are calculated based on a percentage of the net proceeds from forfeiture after administrative costs, not street value or negotiated amounts.
A CS informs their handler that another drug trafficking organization has issued a 'green light' (kill order) against them. The handler's mandatory first step is to:
Answer: Assess the credibility of the threat and notify the Group Supervisor for a safety plan
A credible threat to a CS's life requires immediate threat assessment and Group Supervisor notification to activate the CS safety protocol, which may include relocation, deactivation, or law enforcement protection.
The concept of 'validation' in DEA CS management refers to the ongoing process of:
Answer: Verifying the CS's information through independent sources to assess reliability and accuracy
CS validation is the systematic process of corroborating a source's information against independent intelligence streams to continually assess reliability, accuracy, and potential compromise.
A CS who previously provided information leading to a major prosecution approaches the handler requesting witness protection. The handler's correct response is to:
Answer: Refer the matter to the prosecuting AUSA who must petition the US Marshals Service for WITSEC consideration
WITSEC enrollment is controlled exclusively by the US Marshals Service and requires a petition through the prosecuting AUSA; DEA agents have no authority to directly enroll or provide WITSEC benefits.
In DEA terminology, what distinguishes a 'Tier 1' Confidential Source from a 'Tier 2' Confidential Source?
Answer: Tier 1 sources provide information for compensation; Tier 2 sources operate undercover in controlled purchases
DEA's tiered CS classification distinguishes compensated informants who provide intelligence (Tier 1) from sources who actively participate in undercover operations or controlled purchases (Tier 2), with different oversight requirements for each.