Informants paid £2 million by police

INFORMANTS have been paid nearly £2 million by South Yorkshire Police over the last 12 years.
Guardian NewsGuardian News
Guardian News

The force paid £152,115 to ‘intelligence sources’ - people who pass on confidential information to the police for cash - between April 2011 and March 2012, down from £181,440 the year before.

Over the last 12 years, police paid the most between April 2007 and March 2008, when £190,178 was given for information. The lowest paid out over the same period was £97,000 between April 2001 and March 2002.

South Yorkshire Police has a network of informants across the county who pass on ‘intelligence’ about offenders responsible for crimes or offences being planned.

They also help the force build a picture of what is happening in communities, to help police chiefs identify emerging problems.

Det Supt Adrian Teague said paying informants was just one weapon in the police armoury in the fight against crime.

“For as long as there has been policing there have been informants, it’s not a new phenomenon. These people do exist and add value to policing.”

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