Undercover work is an art, which can be taught, along with how to manipulate situations to make them less dangerous than many patrol calls. Too little consideration is often given to which officers are suitable for the role, and which ones are likely to fail. These can be predictable outcomes if you know what to look for. Even when officers are well suited to the role, they ALL have limits. Supervisors have a duty to monitor and protect them.
Patrol officers are the most under-utilized weapon against drug traffic.
They can make a big difference in traffic volume act as a source of intelligence, and assist on special assignments to drug units. All of these issues will be covered in this series with a great emphasis on SAFE effectiveness. Safety concerns go far beyond immediate physical threats. There are many traps that officers fall into which cost them their careers. Class size may be limited to assure adequate instructor attention to students.