Cover, Undercover Operations

1. Cover, Undercover Operations Prepared by: GROUP III

2. Cover Defined • This is a means by which an individual or organization conceals the true nature of its activities and existence from the observer. • It is also a strategy by which an investigator conceals his identity and his relation with the investigative agency.

3. Undercover Operation This is an investigative technique in which the investigator conceals his identity in order to accomplish his mission. Cover operation is used so that the intelligence unit may operate with minimal interference from the outside elements. By outside elements, we mean those not having the need to know.

4. Essential Uses of Cover • Secrecy of operation against enemy intelligence; • Secrecy of operation against friendly agencies who do not have the “need to know”; and • The successful accomplishment of the mission.

5. Functions of Cover • Defensive – serves to prevent detection • Gives access to the target and facilitates the achievement of the clandestine objectives

6. Nature of Cover • Written unwritten exposure; • Any cover that is subjected to close scrutiny for an extended period of time will be probably compromised; • Cover might appear plausible to the user, however, it is not so to the observer; and • The cover must prove undercover identity with the opportunity to get the work done.

7. Broad Concepts of Cover • Cover for status • Cover for action • Natural cover • Artificial cover • Official cover • Non-official cover • Living one’s cover

8. Requirements for Cover • It must provide freedom of movement. • It must protect the investigator from compromise. • It must be consistent with the social status of the target personalities. • It must provide adequate leisure time. • It must be sufficiently flexible to meet changes in the situations. • It must be consistent with the financial resources available to the investigator.

9. Types of Cover • Natural cover • Artificial cover • Cover within a cover • Multiple cover

10. Hazards to Cover • Static or dormant opposition • Hostile active opposition Three Elements of Cover • Mission • Environment • Person

11. Precautions/Guidelines when Case Cover is Compromise: • Move out immediately; • Start new facility for operation and develop it; • Use circuitous routes and provide careful counter surveillance; and • Be patient, and build slowly and carefully.

12. Objectives of organization Cover: • To camouflage and protect operational personnel and their activities; and • To protect installation in which clandestine activities are based.

13. Guidelines to Organizational Cover: • Organizational cover must appear to produce something; • Should be advised that not all personnel will work together at the same time; • Cover should be devoted to mission; and • Should start with small organizational cover and provide room expansion as it continues to grow.

14. Guidelines when Organizational Cover is Compromised: • Make a physical move or relocation; • Start a new facility for old operation and let it grow; • Use new personnel; • Let old personnel remain in place: and • Build entirely new cover identity.

15. Undercover Operations An undercover operation is sometimes used to gain police information when other efforts have proved impractical or have failed. Before setting up the operation, the data or result of the undercover agent must be specified. And the degree of risk to the investigator must be assessed. Before an undercover operation can begin, it is coordinated with installation, activity or area headquarters. The advice of the officer is obtained for heavy undercover operations.

16. Plans An undercover operation must be carefully planned; information useful to the undercover person must be assembled. The plan must include steps for the undercover person to take if he is arrested or detailed. An identity for him must be built.

17. Qualifications Experience has shown the value of undercover work to gain information. But it also has shown that not everyone can adapt to this work. Undercover investigators must be able to adjust their personalities to the roles they play.

18. To be selected for undercover assignments, investigators must be well-trained and experienced. Often an investigator must gain a subject’s confidence by developing friendship through a mutual interest like work, sports, or music. An undercover person may claim to be an expert in the field in which the suspect has an interest, hoping the suspect will seek him out.

19. General Qualifications of an Undercover: • Emotional stability; • Willingness; • High level of intelligence; • Physical stamina and courage; • Retentive memory; and • Free from domestic problems.

20. Specific Qualifications of an Undercover: • Linguistic ability • Physical appearance • Profession • Special area knowledge

21. Preparations If you are selected for an undercover assignment you must help build the cover story to protect your true identity.

22. Precautions Your clothing and personal items must fit your role in quality, price, age, fit, and degree of cleanliness. Your clothing should have laundry marks to go with your story.

23. Undercover Assignment • Factors to be considered in planning for undercover • .Assignment: • Determine the level on which investigation is intended; • Developing appropriate cover story and cover; • Selection of qualified personnel;

24. Consideration of all operation details to include documents, contacts, reporting, housing and convergence; and • Briefing, couching, and rehearsing.

25. General Uses of Undercover Technique • When information or evidence would not be accessible by overt investigation or through reliable informant; • When overt action might endanger the investigation; • When overt action will arouse suspicion or alarm, thus compromising the investigation or otherwise alerting the subject; • When it is desirable to conceal the unit’s interest in a particular case or certain field of investigation; and • When all feasible means of overt investigation have been tried and proven unsuccessful.

26. Specific Uses of Undercover Technique • To gain the confidence of the suspect; • To penetrate a reported subversive organization; • To verify information submitted by informants or witnesses; • To trace security leaks and violations in military offices and installations; and • To support surveillance operation by providing an acceptable undercover.

27. Types of Undercover Assignment • Dwelling • Work assignment • Social assignment • Multiple assignment • Personal contact assignment or rope job

28. Applicability of Undercover Assignment • Counter sabotage; • Counter subversive activities; • Counter espionage; and • Counter terrorism. Methods: . Direct-use of special agents; and . Indirect-controlled informants.

29. Factors to Consider in Choosing a Cover Story • Justification for presence and activities • Mutual points of interest • Continuous contact • Complete background

30. Modes of Employment of Undercover Assignment • 1. Long-range - provides reliable, accurate, and continuing access to information would no the attainable, which requires considerable time and effort painstaking analysis of the mission and through time of all details relating to selection, training and actual performance of undercover personnel;

31. 2. Short-range - provides for immediate objective solution to the following: • Background investigation; • Preparation for a raid operation; and • Installation or serving of technical equipment.

32. THE END THANK YOU!!!