Many times police will use an informer to make a drug purchase inside a house or vehicle. Moreover, identification by the informant may become an issue. The defense may be entitled to know if the CI has provided credible or reliable information in the past and what the results of those cases have been. Unlike other states where access is limited, Pennsylvania courts have held that the defense has a right to know not only the identity of a confidential informant but that they should have access to their entire police file. As they are 'confidential', people facing drug charges do not know the informant's identity, if they have a criminal record, a broader criminal history, a compromising relationship to accused, or even if the police are paying them.īut Despite their common usage in Pennsylvania criminal investigations, there are surprisingly few rules on how informants are used and in many cases, persons serving as informants are not aware of the rights they surrender or the risks they may encounter when providing confidential information to law enforcement of the things they witness. What is not clear is who these informants are. Police often use these 'informers' to buy or purchase narcotics, set up drug sales over the phone, and provide other information on criminal activity that the police use to make drug arrests.

Police use of confidential informants is widespread in Pennsylvania.

Confidential informant rules