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Narcotics investigators are complaining with increasing frequency that another agency "took off" their primary suspect just as they were preparing to do so. This needless conflict may create an officer safety situation and most-assuredly wastes months of time and money invested by both agencies. There is an easy-to-use remedy offered by the Northwest HIDTA. It is founded in the By-Laws of the Western States Information Network under Article V, Concurrent Investigations. The HIDTA Watch Center enacts Article V through the Critical Event Deconfliction system. Deconfliction is designed to identify concurrent investigations, coordinate and funnel resources towards the agency that is closest to arrest and prosecution, to ensure one agency is not targeting another and to provide a safe work zone for enforcement activities. The Watch Center does not control or dictate actions. The Watch Center merely brings investigators together and relies upon investigators to voluntarily coordinate activities towards a successful conclusion. Virtually all Chiefs, Sheriffs and Special Agents in Charge in the seven HIDTA counties signed agreements to abide by this process.

Southern California drug units rely on the Watch Center’s Deconfliction system to coordinate their activities. How then does a law enforcement administrator ensure his or her drug unit is operating in accordance with these guidelines? It is easy, merely enact the following:

HIDTA’s Seven Steps For Managers

These steps are presented to help drug enforcement unit managers and supervisors as they plan for successful enforcement operations and to effectively utilize the resources offered by the Northwest HIDTA program. We recommend that these be incorporated into standard operating procedures.

1) First, have all investigators complete a WSIN Security Card and submit it to the Watch Center for inclusion in the WSIN system. Comment: No intelligence information may be given to your investigators from the WSIN database without having the recipient’s security data on file. This same process is used throughout the 5 Western States.

2) Investigators to submit names of all targets of investigation into the WSIN system by calling the Watch Center, 1-888-388-DRUG. (Or via RISSNET computer or by completing a Subject card). Comment: This registers your investigator as the "Controlling Contributor" if he or she is the first to submit the name into the system. All subsequent inquiries by others will be referred to the Controlling Contributor. Refer to WSIN By-Laws, Article V.

3) Call the Watch Center for Intelligence Research on all new targets of investigation, 1-888-388 DRUG.
Comment: The Watch Center staff will research intelligence information from many systems within an 8 hour processing time. All new informants should be checked through WSIN. See WSIN By-Laws. A Security Card must be on file before intelligence information may be provided to an investigator.

4) Use the Watch Center’s Critical Event deconfliction system before going on out on all drug buys, raids, surveillance’s, knock and talks, buy-busts, etc. by calling in advance to 1-888-388 DRUG.
Comment: This is an officer safety function that is at the core of the HIDTA system. It ensures one agency is not targeting another or that enforcement operations do not interfere with another agency’s investigation. Hazard flags on a target’s name or address will become known. The Watch Center is a completely secure facility with information totally safeguarded. We recommend calling one hour or more in advance of operations. Some agencies re-write raid plans and put this as the FIRST entry.

5) Submit intelligence information to WSIN system by phoning or faxing the Watch Center. Writing a document is not necessary. (But you can use the RISSNET computer or complete a Subject Card). Comment: Watch Center staff will make WSIN entries for users over the phone. Develop a habit to do this at the end of every investigation. Enter data from informant debriefing reports. It is important to include Hazard information on all subjects being entered. This is the essential component of all intelligence systems.

6) Use the HIDTA intelligence Analysts on complex investigations.
Comment: These services are readily available and at no cost. They may research data, organize case information, conduct telephone toll analysis or produce a wide variety of charts and graphs to depict the investigation from the inception to trial. Call the Manager of the Analytical Unit, 206 352- 3600.

7) Report Significant Seizures and Identify Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO’s) to the HIDTA.
Comment: HIDTA analysts will conduct a Post Seizure Analysis on all large or otherwise significant drug seizures if your investigators notify the Watch Center of the details. This follow-up procedure is important in the event that your current seizure may have some relationship to other investigations occurring across the nation. By registering all the major participants in a drug trafficking organization with the Watch Center, the case agent may become the Controlling Contributor over inquiries regarding the drug targets. HIDTA analytical research may possibly provide new intelligence information on the subjects.

Watch Center 1-888-388-DRUG (3784)

Inside this issue:
Message from the Director
Administrator's Award for Outstanding Group Achievement
Prevention / Treatment Initiatives by Steve Freng
Enforcement Hightlights by Bill Wittenburger
Comings and Goings
Future Training
Other HIDTA Newsletters