04-35 Source Management - Confidential Sources - Definitions

Question 1

Agent means:

Answer 1

a person who acts on behalf of the police and under their direction, which may result in them becoming a material and compellable witness. The identity of the agent is subject to disclosure.

Question 2

Confidential Source (Source) means:

Answer 2

a person who is registered with Intelligence Services – Covert Operations – Source Management (CO–SMS) and voluntarily provides information of some usefulness or interest to the Toronto Police Service with respect to the prevention and detection of crimes, with the explicit or implicit expectation of confidentiality. This person would generally not become a witness or require protection as a result of their involvement or the information they have provided.
A confidential source is an asset of the Toronto Police Service and is not the exclusive asset of any one police officer.
A confidential source does not include a person who provides a statement to police as part of routine police inquiries into alleged offences; e.g. a witness to a crime.

Question 3

Confidential Source – Level 2 means:

Answer 3

• a source under the age of 18 (young person), or
• a source whose information could be considered:
• – multi–jurisdictional;
• – may affect national security;
• – involves organized crime;
• –is beyond the resources or the source–handling abilities of the officers involved;
• – at the discretion of the Controller.

Unless otherwise approved by the Controller, a confidential source – level 2 shall be managed by a Handler – Level 2.

Question 4

Controller – Source means:

Answer 4

the Detective Sergeant – Intelligence Services – Covert Operations who ensures the effective control, accountability and evaluation of the source, continually assessing the risks and managing all information provided by the source. The Controller – Source is responsible for the Source Management Program of the Toronto Police Service.

Question 5

Crown Letter – Source means:

Answer 5

a document provided to the crown attorney by Intelligence Services – Covert Operations – Source Management (CO–SMS) on behalf of a source seeking consideration for that source’s assistance to the police.

All crown letters issued on behalf of a source shall only be provided by the Unit Commander – Intelligence Services. See Procedure 04–35, Appendix B.

Question 6

Handler means:

Answer 6

a police officer who has received information from a source and who has been so designated by the Controller or designate. A handler, on behalf of the Toronto Police Service, is responsible for the:
 development of a source
 integrity of any contact
 acquisition and dissemination of information received from the source.

Question 7

Handler – Level 1 means:

Answer 7

any police officer from the Toronto Police Service who can handle level 1 sources only.

Question 8

Handler – Level 2 means:

Answer 8

any police officer from the Toronto Police Service who has been accredited and designated by the Controller or designate. A handler – level 2 can manage agents, and level 1 and level 2 sources.
For the purposes of agents, a handler – level 2 is also responsible for:
 the management of agents on behalf of the Service
 considering the primary concerns
 the acquisition and dissemination of information from that agent.

Question 9

Restricted Source means:

Answer 9

a person who has been restricted by Intelligence Services – Covert Operations – Source Management (CO–SMS). Such a person shall not be used as such by any officer unless designated by the Controller.