Indiana Code § 5-14-3-4(b) excludes from public disclosure “records that would identify a confidential informant.” Unlike some states that require periodic disclosure of inactive informants, Indiana treats CI identity as perpetually exempt.
Why such secrecy? The reasons are practical and lethal:
The Indiana Court of Appeals has consistently upheld these exemptions. In Evansville Courier & Press v. Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office (2015), the court ruled that even the existence of an informant related to a closed case could remain secret if disclosure might endanger the person or their family.
A quick internet search for “confidential informant list Indiana” will yield little more than forum posts, legal blogs, and conspiracy theories. There is no centralized, publicly available database of CIs in Indiana.
Why not? The answer lies in two critical factors: confidential informant list indiana
Yes. While there is no statewide “master list,” individual law enforcement agencies maintain their own internal records of informants. These are often kept in:
These internal lists typically include:
Access to these lists is strictly limited. In most departments, only the chief of police, the internal affairs unit, and the officer directly handling the CI have full access. Prosecutors may have access when preparing a case, but defense attorneys generally do not.
If you are a defense lawyer in Indiana trying to pierce the CI privilege, do not ask for “the list.” Ask for: Indiana Code § 5-14-3-4(b) excludes from public disclosure
Use the Indiana Rules of Evidence 404 and 608 to argue that an informant’s criminal history is essential for jury assessment.
One of the worst nightmares for Indiana law enforcement occurred in 2005 when a rogue Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) employee stole a flash drive containing over 150 active confidential informants’ names and addresses. The list was never fully recovered. At least two informants were murdered within six months. The incident led to a complete overhaul of how IMPD stores CI data, including biometric logins and air-gapped databases.
No. The Indiana State Police (ISP), local sheriff’s departments, and the FBI do not maintain a spreadsheet named “Confidential Informants.xlsx” sitting on a shared drive.
Informant relationships are handled on a case-by-case basis, usually through a single handling officer and a prosecutor. To protect the informant’s identity, even other officers on the same task force often don’t know who the informant is. The Indiana Court of Appeals has consistently upheld
Why? Because if that list existed and got leaked, it wouldn’t just ruin investigations—it would get people killed.
Under Roviaro v. United States (1957) and Indiana case law (Kindred v. State, 524 N.E.2d 279 (Ind. 1988)), disclosure is required when:
The defense must file a motion to disclose confidential informant, not simply ask for the list.
