Abstract
The use of undercover law enforcement techniques brings with it serious risks. They have the capability of threatening civil liberties and US constitutional rights of innocent individuals. Limits of governmental intrusion reflected in the Fourth Amendment, protection of privileged communications reflected in the First Amendment, and the requirement that criminal investigations be conducted in a fair manner commanded by the Fifth Amendment are endangered by undercover methods. After briefly exploring the history of covert practices, this paper will visit current internal and external policies guiding the use of undercover law enforcement methods and court cases that had major impacts on shaping behaviours of undercover officers. Since policies are not well developed at the local level and state courts have reaffirmed rulings by the US Supreme Court, references are made to federal agencies and federal case law. Results of the research indicate that some agencies have internal guidelines, however, they cannot be judicially enforced. US Supreme Court case law is the best resource in guiding law enforcement officers and minimising the risks of violating individuals' rights during an undercover investigation.
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