Covert Human Intelligence Sources
Covert Human Intelligence Sources, or CHISs, can operate in a number of ways:
- someone who establishes or maintains a relationship, under their own or an assumed identity, with the express intent of using that relationship to obtain information
- covert disclosure of information obtained by virtue of a relationship, whether or not the initial purpose of establishing or maintaining the relationship was to obtain such information
- the use of a relationship to gain or provide access to another person for the purpose of anything within 1) or 2).
CHIS covers the use of such techniques as undercover officers in infiltration roles or the use of informants.
Both directed surveillance and CHIS are authorised internally by the organisation concerned, by an authorising officer of appropriate rank (see SI No. 2417 Prescription of Offices, Ranks and Provisions Order 2000). The authorising officer must be satisfied that such conduct is necessary on one or more of the following grounds:
- national security,
- preventing or detecting crime or preventing disorder,
- economic well being of the UK,
- protecting public health,
- protecting public safety or,
- the collection of any tax, duty, levy or other payment due to a government department.
