Which is NOT a category used to classify third-party informants?

• A. Other law enforcement
• B. Citizens (known Citizen Informant in TN)
• C. Confidential (Criminal) No trust on veracity, must be shown through time
• D. Anonymous Informants

Answer: (D)

In evaluating informants, agencies classify third-party informants by the nature of the relationship and the trust you can place in them. The category for information from another law enforcement source covers tips from personnel at a different agency. The citizen category refers to everyday members of the public who provide information and can be known to the investigator. The confidential (criminal) category is for a source whose identity is protected and whose veracity must be established over time through corroboration.

Anonymous informants aren’t treated as a formal category of third-party informants because you can’t identify or assess their reliability or track record. Information from an anonymous source must be corroborated before it gains weight, rather than being classified under a standing informant category.