Minors as covert human intelligence sources of the Polish police Part 2

In 1990, due to political changes in Poland, the use of Covert Human Intelligence Sources (CHIS) in combating crime raised controversy. Therefore, the hastily and secretly prepared legislation limited the provisions to merely signalling the possibility of the police using this method of intelligence gathering. Despite further modifi cations of the existing law, the use of CHIS is still only referred to in Act on the Police [1990 Article 22(1)], which states that: “Police can use the help of non-police offi cers to perform their tasks.” The laxity of this provision is particularly evident in the context of precise and understandable regulations in countries such as Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the United States of America. The use of minors’ help is not regulated at the level of internal confi dential police regulations, which makes it diffi cult for police offi cers to fi ght juvenile delinquency. The aim of the research was to determine whether legal conditions in Poland prevent the use of juvenile CHIS. The analysis led to the conclusion that there are no legal obstacles present, but the use of juvenile informants should depend on the fulfi lment of certain conditions.