NCJ Number
123770
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 59 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1990) Pages: 15-19
Date Published
1990
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Drug enforcement and undercover operations are exponentially more dangerous today than in past years; within the last 3 years, five special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have been murdered while acting in an undercover capacity.
Abstract
Drug enforcement is more dangerous primarily due to an added incentive for the suspect to fight and flee, increased paranoia from the use of crack cocaine and other mind-altering drugs, increased mandatory prison sentences, the mentality of certain foreign nationals toward law enforcement officials, the large sums of money involved in drug transactions, and the frequency of violence related to the drug trade. An analysis of agent-related shootings, conducted by DEA, indicates that a complete, written operational plan should be mandatory for all undercover operations. Undercover agents should be as far removed from the arrest scene as possible. Successful undercover operations also depend on communication, the extent of agent complacency, and weapon accessibility. Undercover agents should carefully observe drug traffickers' activities and continually update their assessment of the traffickers' intentions.