An audit of the Hartford Police Department’s process for paying informants found that while there were “key operational controls” in place, the department needs to improve its replenishment of the fund and record keeping.
The audit mostly covered the 2025 fiscal year and included a review of internal operating and accounting controls, interviews with personnel, sampling of records and payment documentation, and an assessment of fund sufficiency for operational needs.
“Over the past decade, judicial standards have evolved to require more rigorous evidentiary support, often mandating multiple controlled buys before a warrant can be issued. Simultaneously, the operational environment has grown more complex.” the audit states. “The cost of narcotics has increased, and the department’s strategy has shifted toward targeting higher-level traffickers, which often necessitates purchasing larger quantities of illicit substances.”
According to the audit, despite these changes, the “structure and oversight” of the process to pay informants has “remained largely static.” The audit reviewed whether the department’s current practices are “sufficient, agile, and aligned with modern law enforcement demands.”
The audit found that an “outdated” $10,000 cap on funds and a policy that results in delaying replenishing funds for up to a month, as well as an increased number of purchases of narcotics, have caused issues with the department’s ability to investigate narcotics cases.
Those policies, the audit found, have created limitations on funds that have led to delays in executing warrants and put an “increased strain” on investigations.
Auditors recommended the department reevaluate the $10,000 cap “considering increased enforcement demands, court requirements, and inflationary pressures.” They also recommended the department shorten the replenishment time and suggested a “tiered trigger system” that would initiate requests under a $3,000 threshold or “develop a standing authorization for expedited fund access during high-priority cases.”
Currently, a police sergeant has administrative responsibility for this process, and auditors also recommended reviewing this process “as it is not the most effective use of a sergeant’s time.”
The department agreed with the recommendation to change the $10,000 cap and said they would work with the city to raise it by $5,000. They also said they agreed with the need to shorten the replenishment time and would work to create a tiered trigger system.
Additionally, auditors found the department had not written procedures for the “audit and replenishment of informant funds,” which they stated increased the risk of inconsistent execution and reduced accountability. They recommended creating formal written procedures outlining a process, which the department said it would do.
Auditors also found the department had no organizational system for its physical records relating to informant payments. The departments said it would “define clear records management criteria and transition to a centralized electronic recordkeeping system to improve accessibility, audit readiness, and data integrity.”
The department indicated it would make the recommended changes for all three areas where auditors found deficiencies by December 31.
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