Opinion ID: 165232
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Police Surveillance

Text: 26 Police surveillance which show[s] an unusually high volume of visitors briefly entering and leaving [a] residence, consistent with drug trafficking[,] can also corroborate information from a confidential informant that the residence is being used to distribute narcotics. United States v. Corral, 970 F.2d 719, 727 (10th Cir.1992). Van Wagoner conducted several brief surveillances of Defendant's residence, during which he observed several visitors staying for short periods of time. Officer Van Wagoner was highly experienced in the matter of drug trafficking, and he deemed this activity indicative of narcotics distribution. This information provided additional corroboration of the confidential informant's tip. 27 Defendant objects that Van Wagoner's surveillances were not conducted in accordance with Mauriello's Criminal Investigation Handbook. For example, he argues that Van Wagoner should have recorded the times of the visitors' arrivals and departures and, if possible, their names and descriptions. We agree that more detailed information with respect to the number, identity, and description of persons entering and exiting Defendant's residence would have been helpful. Nonetheless, we believe that Van Wagoner's observation that a series of visitors entered the residence and stayed for only a short period of time did provide some additional corroboration of the confidential informant's tip when interpreted in light of Officer Van Wagoner's extensive experience. 28