Drug Investigations for Street Officers and New Investigators

Instructor: Jess Stennett

Duration: 2.5 Days (20 PD hours total)

Cost: $475.00 (excluding tax)

Schedule Note: This 20-hour course runs from 8am to 5pm local time on the first two days, with the final day concluding at 12pm local time.

Course Overview

This training program provides officers with essential investigative skills and knowledge needed to conduct drug investigations safely and ethically. Participants will gain current, practical information covering drug identification, informant management, consent-based searches, operational planning, and controlled purchases. The content is structured as a general overview designed to complement agency-specific policies and procedures rather than replace departmental guidelines.

Key Topics Covered

• Basic Drug Identification and Trends: Participants will learn to identify illicit substances, street terminology, nomenclature, pricing information, weights, clandestine laboratory operations, and the Uniformed Controlled Substance Act. The course includes discussion of physiological effects of drugs and current local and national drug trend analysis.
• Intelligence Gathering: Officers will explore available information sources and strategies for using intelligence to initiate proactive investigations.
• Operations Planning: Safe planning methodologies for covert surveillance, controlled purchases, and raids will be covered, including de-confliction procedures and operational security measures.
• Voluntary Consent Searches: This often-misunderstood investigative tool will be examined through proven, legal, and ethical techniques for conducting consensual encounters effectively.
• Confidential Informant Handling: The course addresses proper and ethical management of informants, explores various motivations, and identifies associated risks to prevent case liability.
• Controlled Purchases: Officers will learn safe and ethical procedures for controlled drug purchases, including hazard assessment and comparative advantages of using undercover personnel.
• Case Study Analysis: Real narcotic cases are examined in detail from initial investigation through prosecution.
• Court Preparation: Given recent shifts in how courts view drug investigations, informant credibility, and evidence presentation, officers will be instructed on the importance of accurate documentation, ethical testimony, and proper evidence handling.