CHIS Handler

This profile has recently been updated to include the CVF 2024 and core skills, and the new version can be found on College Learn by entering the Profile title in the search function. Please note this profile is out of date and is in the process of being reviewed.

The CHIS Handler is responsible for the daily management of CHIS, including their welfare, safety and protection.

• Recruit, develop and handle covert human intelligence sources to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, policies and authorisations and to meet strategic priorities.

• Complete risk assessments that are comprehensive and reflect circumstances of the CHIS use, ensuring operational security is maintained.

• Implement cover stories and compromise strategies that maintain the covert infrastructure and ensure that all meetings and contact with sources are correctly authorised as in accordance with RIPA and codes of practice.

• Collate, evaluate, and sanitise information supplied by the source in a timely manner in order to direct operational activity and ensure reward and benefit applications are completed accurately.

Prior Education and Experience:

• Trained to NPCC national standards through the College of Policing.

Skills:

• Able to develop a deep knowledge and understanding of a local community including society composition, the needs of the vulnerable and local safety issues.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to set out logical arguments clearly and adapt language, form and message to meet the needs of different people/ audiences.

• Good team working skills demonstrating awareness of individual differences and providing support as required.

• Able to proactively develop effective working relationships with colleagues, partners and other stakeholders, understanding their needs and concerns.

• Able to identify the drivers of behaviour, acting with discretion and emotional intelligence to manage conflict and defuse difficult situations.

• Problem solving skills with the ability to identify cause and effect and develop a course of action designed to target root causes as well as manage impacts.

• Able to interpret and apply guidance to a specific activity.

• Able to critically question and identify potential opportunities to enhance efficiency and/or effectiveness within own area of work.

• Able to identify, analyse and manage risk to inform balanced, proportionate, evidence based decisions.

• Able to review and reflect on own performance objectively and to take steps to maintain and enhance competence and professional standards appropriate to the role.

• Good time management skills with the able to appropriately prioritise and plan own work.

• Skilled in the use of standard IT packages, systems and/or databases to fulfil role requirements.

• Skilled in applying personal safety tactics, including the use of equipment and restraints.

• Maintain currency of College of Policing Guidance, best practice and any local policy applicable to the operational police context and leading and managing teams.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors and developments to support and inform a pro-active and preventative approach to policing.

• Maintain and update key knowledge, understanding and skills relating to legislation policy and practice across all functional policing areas of operational responsibility.

• Maintain knowledge and understanding of new approaches to evidence based policing research and analysis synthesise these into working practice.

• Maintain a working knowledge and understanding of new and evolving crime threats and priorities; and current best practice to tackle these in order to enable a pro-active and preventative approach.

• Complete all annual and mandatory training.

Not applicable.

NPoCC Mercury Profile – CHIS Handler 458 v1