| You have probably heard of the term informant in | | | | supposed to be getting her hair done, just showed |
| the media or on television. What exactly is an | | | | up for a date with her lover at a restaurant next |
| informant? When should a private investigator use an | | | | door to the hairdresser's shop. To keep this |
| informant? Is a private investigator allowed to pay an | | | | informant motivated to talk to you, the private |
| informant? | | | | investigator, you must build a rapport with the |
| What is an informant? | | | | informant as discussed earlier. The chances are that |
| An informant is a person who cooperates by | | | | the two neighbors have some sort of trivial dispute. |
| providing information during an investigation. He might | | | | It could be something like your subject stealing your |
| be a witness or a participant in a particular case | | | | informant's morning paper only to return it the next |
| under investigation. Many times, an informant | | | | morning and stealing the following day's paper. |
| receives monetary compensation or other benefit for | | | | Whatever the reason may be, the informant is |
| his information. | | | | probably getting even with your subject through you. |
| Just like interviewing witnesses, working with | | | | Are you allowed to pay informants? |
| informants requires that the private investigator | | | | Money and informants go together like a hand that |
| establish a level of rapport with him. Informants | | | | fits a glove. You are allowed to perform favors for |
| usually have a motive to help you out besides the | | | | or compensate them for information. The exception |
| rapport you have established with them. This may | | | | is that if the informant is a potential witness in a |
| include becoming a private investigator themselves. | | | | case, you should never pay any amount of money to |
| Good natured kidding around about "putting them on | | | | an informant. By doing so, you create a conflict of |
| your payroll" may feed their need to live an exciting | | | | interest. A witness may suggest that you pay him a |
| life of a private investigator through yours. | | | | little extra money so that his recollection of |
| Dismiss what you see on TV about law enforcement | | | | information might improve. After all, the testimony of |
| and informants. The tough-cop persona of grabbing | | | | your informant may save your client, an insurance |
| the informant by the ears, slamming him to the | | | | company, tons of money. Therefore, you can not |
| ground, and expecting him to work for you is nothing | | | | pay an informant who is a potential witness. |
| but pure fiction. A criminal or private investigator | | | | If a private investigator did compensate a witness, |
| should never refer to an informant as a "snitch." It is | | | | then the testimony the witness gives may be |
| considered a derogatory term. If you view your | | | | inadmissible in court. On television shows, you might |
| informant in derogatory terms, your actions, | | | | see witnesses who are paid. In reality, do not do it. |
| demeanor, and tone of voice when speaking to him | | | | On the other hand, the story is different for police |
| will contravene your true intentions. The informant will | | | | and criminal cases. Police can pay informants because |
| see your condescending attitude and will less likely | | | | criminal cases go by different rules than civil cases. |
| work for you. | | | | In civil cases, this is nothing more embarrassing than |
| When should a private investigator use an informant? | | | | to lose a case in court and possibly a good client by |
| An informant can simply be a neighbor of a subject in | | | | paying a potential witness in a civil case. Simply do |
| a domestic case under surveillance who will inform | | | | NOT do this. The exception to this rule is the |
| you when the subject comes home. This informant | | | | "expert" witness whom you CAN pay. |
| may contact you when your client's wife, who is | | | | |