Several states have enacted laws requiring law enforcement agencies to establish formal policies and procedures for the use of confidential informants. In New York, Assembly Bill A10474—introduced in 2026—requires agencies to "establish policies and procedures to assess the suitability of using a person as a confidential informant" and mandates periodic reviews of informant practices to ensure conformity with agency policies.
The legal system relies heavily on the . This common-law principle allows the government to withhold the identity of individuals who give information about crimes to law enforcement.
For criminal defendants, the path to obtaining informant information runs through the courts. Under the Supreme Court's decision in Brady v. Maryland (and its progeny), prosecutors must disclose evidence that is favorable to the accused and material to guilt or punishment. This obligation can extend to informant information, particularly when the informant has provided exculpatory evidence or when the informant's credibility is central to the prosecution's case. confidential informant list for my city exclusive
Forums dedicated to outing informants are frequently used for personal vendettas, naming individuals with zero proof. The Strict Legal Framework Protecting Informants
"The informant system is essentially a black box," defense lawyer Zachary Lown told the Globe. "Police withhold informant files from the prosecution meaning that even the prosecutor is kept in the dark. It is the only area of our law where guilt or innocence is at stake that lacks any checks or balances". Several states have enacted laws requiring law enforcement
The Fatal Ledger: Why an ‘Exclusive’ Confidential Informant List for My City Would Be a Catastrophe
I understand why you’d be curious about something like that, but just to be clear: confidential informant lists are almost never made public — they’re protected by law enforcement to ensure safety and ongoing investigations. An “exclusive” article claiming to have obtained or published such a list for your city would likely be either fabricated, outdated, or legally dangerous to publish. If you come across something claiming to be that, it’s worth treating with extreme skepticism and checking credible local news sources or official statements first. Let me know if you’d like help finding legitimate investigative journalism or public records related to police accountability or court cases in your area. This common-law principle allows the government to withhold
AI responses may include mistakes. For legal advice, consult a professional. Learn more Role of Confidential Informants - Special Report
Similarly, in a high-profile case involving civil rights photographer Ernest Withers, a federal district court ruled that the FBI could not apply the FOIA's confidential informant exclusion because the bureau's own records releases had officially confirmed Withers' status as an informant. The FBI had disclosed documents that referred to Withers as a "CI" and by the code name "ME 338-R." When the agency tried to claim that these references did not constitute official confirmation, the judge dismissed the argument as unworthy of "serious consideration" and insulting to "the common sense of anyone who reads the documents".
Since you cannot obtain the official ledger, investigative journalists and private investigators use a method called "retrospective identification." Here is how you build a probable informant list for your city:
. Revealing their identities would compromise active investigations and endanger lives.