6.4 SURVEILLANCE

• Surveillance


  • To obtain evidence of a crime
  • To check on the reliability of information and their sources
  • To obtain probable cause for obtaining search warrants
• Objectives of Surveillance


  • To prevent the commission of an act or to apprehend a subject in the commission of an act
  • To obtain information for later use in interrogation
  • To develop leads and information received from sources
  • To know at all times the whereabouts of an individual
  • To obtain admissible legal evidence for use in court
  • To locate persons of interest of the investigation by watching their habitats and associates
  • To obtain detailed information concerning the scope and nature of a person's activities
• Subject of Surveillance


  The person, place or object being watched
• Surveillant


  The person who does the surveillance or who maintain watch
• Convoy


  An associate of the subject who follows the subject in an attempt to detect surveillance
• Contact


  Any person with whom the subject speaks, to whom he passes items or from whom he receives items
• Made


  The surveillant being recognized by the subject or convoy
• Lost


  The subject is lost when the surveillant do not know his whereabouts or the subject eludes his tail/s
• Fingerman


  An individual who can positively point to the subject
• Put the finger on

  To identify a subject by pointing him out either in person or in photograph
• Put to bed


  When the subject under surveillance has returned to the place where he/she is staying and apparently has retired for the night
• Shadow and tail


  To follow an individual wherever he goes either on foot or on board a vehicle
• Precautions


  • Do not make any abrupt, unnatural moves from doorway to doorway, from tree to tree or behind automobiles
  • Do not use theatrical disguises such as false beards and others that are impractical, hard to maintain and easily detectable
  • Never stare directly at the subject
  • Never look directly at the subject's eyes. Look slightly ahead or behind the subject or at his feet
  • Do not attempt to appear too innocent if accosted by the subject. However, the surveillant should normally display indignant innocence
  • When in a dangerous neighborhood, walk near the curb. This reduces the possibility of attack from doorways and alleys
  • Exercise extreme caution in dark alleys
  • Never speak to or appear to recognize another surveillant unless absolutely necessary in order to accomplish the mission
  • Inexperienced surveillants must conquer the tendency to believe themselves made when the subject glances in their direction several times
• Some Surveillance Problems


  • Subject enters a large building
  • Subject enters an elevator
  • Subject takes public transportation
  • Subject enters a restaurant
  • Agent lose subject
  • Subject discovers agent
• Common Mistakes in Fixed Surveillance Operations

  • Attracting unwanted attention
  • Using a car as an observation post
  • Failure to keep operation a secret
  • Inappropriate lighting
  • Having equipment too close to windows
• Preparation for Surveillance


  • Area and Target Study
  • Surveillance Plan
  • Selection of Personnel
  • Administrative & Logistical Requirements
  • Communication & Control Management
• Types of Surveillance


  • Moving Surveillance – "Tail" or "shadow"
  • Fixed Surveillance – "Stakeout"
  • Electronic Surveillance
• Methods of Surveillance


  • Loose Surveillance
  • Close Surveillance
  • Combination of Loose and Close Surveillance
• Five Techniques of Foot Surveillance

  • One-Man Surveillance
  • Two-Man or "AB" Surveillance
  • Three-Man or "ABC" Surveillance
  • Leapfrog Surveillance
  • Progressive Surveillance
• Planning for Vehicle Surveillance

  • Dependable mode of transportation
  • License plates
  • Two-way radio
  • Emergency supplies
  • Alternate means of transportation
  • Able & experienced driver
  • At least two surveillants
• Techniques for Vehicle Surveillance

  • One Vehicle
  • Two Vehicles
  • Three or Four Vehicles
  • Leapfrog Surveillance
• Detecting Surveillance


  • Stop abruptly and look into rear
  • Casually look around
  • Suddenly reverse a course
  • Stopping abruptly after turning a corner
  • Watching reflections in shop windows
  • Walk slowly and then rapidly at alternate intervals
  • Dropping a piece of paper to see if anyone retrieves it
  • Stopping to tie a shoestring while looking around
  • Boarding a bus/PUJ and riding a short distance or exiting just before it starts
  • Using an associate or friend in a business to watch for surveillance
  • Circling the block in a taxi
  • In hotel lobbies or similar places, watching for persons peeking over or around a newspaper
• Eluding Surveillance


  • Exit a bus or subway just as the doors are about to close
  • Leave a building through a rear or side exit
  • Lose himself in a crowd
  • Enter a theater and leave immediately through an exit
  • Use a decoy
  • Walk down an alley
  • Take the last taxi at a stand
  • Change appearance by using a form of disguise by changing clothes, hair style, wearing glasses, affecting a limp, etc.
• Report


  • Introduction (Date/Time, Duration, Surveillant/s, Identity of person/s under surveillance, Other agencies or persons who have assisted in the surveillance)
  • Detailed Description of Subject
  • Detailed Chronological Account of Activities
  • Description of Each Contact
  • Description of Each Building Concerned
  • Time of and Reason for Discontinuance