Interviewing Police Informants: A Practitioner’s Guide

This book provides students and practitioners alike with a comprehensive discussion of the latest psychological research relevant to interviewing informants.

In particular, the book contains a detailed outline of the R-WITS-US (Review and Research; Welfare; Information; Tasking; Security; Understanding context; Sharing) interview model. This is a bespoke informant interview model that can be remembered by the axiom: Keeping our wits about us. The current book examines the development of this model, bringing a clear focus on the specific definition of an informant and how this definition differentiates informants from other individuals who are likely to be interviewed by police - such as victims, witnesses, or suspects. A variety of relational and organisational objectives are identified and explored with the R-WITS-US model proposed as an ethical interview model capable of addressing these interconnected objectives. The aims of each individual phase are carefully explained, and practical examples of psychological techniques that can be used are provided throughout. The book concludes with a detailed example of the R-WITS-US model, highlighting how it could be employed in practice.

This book provides invaluable evidence-based guidance to practitioners, making it essential reading for police professionals who are required to understand and interview informants. It will also be useful secondary reading for professional policing students engaged in police practice, criminal investigation, and investigative interviewing.

Lee Moffett has over twenty-five years law enforcement experience as well as an MSc and PhD in Investigative Psychology. His research examines police informant interactions and includes Keeping our wits about us: Introducing a bespoke informant interview model for covert human intelligence source (CHIS) interactions.