Police pay thousands to Yorkshire informants and say they are 'key' to tackling crime

West Yorkshire Police paid informants more £400,000 over four years, it has been revealed.
West Yorkshire Police handed £414,590 to confidential informants, known as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), between 2016 and 2020West Yorkshire Police handed £414,590 to confidential informants, known as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), between 2016 and 2020
West Yorkshire Police handed £414,590 to confidential informants, known as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), between 2016 and 2020

The force said it handed £414,590 to confidential informants, known as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), between 2016 and 2020, when it responded to a Freedom of Information request.

The response also shows it paid out £74,703 in 2016/17, but that figure increased year on year and in 2019/20 it spent almost twice as much (£137,187).

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West Yorkshire Police said the use of informants is “a key element to the prevention and detection of crime” but it “can neither confirm nor deny that it holds any further information” about the payments.

In the FOI response, the force stated that informants are “given strong guarantees that their identities will be protected” and in some cases prosecutions are stopped to prevent them from being identified.

It adds: “Confirmation or denial of any additional information relating to CHIS would damage national security through discouraging current national security CHIS from co-operating with the police service in other geographical areas, or preventing the recruitment of national security CHIS in the future - regardless of whether the area in question actually currently runs CHIS reporting on serious crime, terrorist or other threats.

“The use of CHIS within policing is a key element to the prevention and detection of crime as well as providing intelligence in relation to national security concerns.

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“To confirm or deny whether any additional information is held in relation to this request would make public any police tactics surrounding the use of confidential sources.

“West Yorkshire Police rely on various operations and procedures when tackling crime, to disclose whether details are held in relation to these methods would undermine their effectiveness.”

The Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Act 2021, which became law in March, sets out when informants and undercover agents, which are both referred to as covert human intelligence sources, can be authorised to commit criminal acts as part of their work.

The Home Office states CHIS can be given authorisation to prevent or detect crime, in the interest of national security or in the interest of the economic well-being of the UK.

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It also states authorisation must be given by a highly trained officer who sets “strict parameters” and the CHIS “will never be given unlimited authority to commit any and all crime”.

The Home Office says they are “crucial” in preventing terrorism, drug and firearms offences and child sexual exploitation.