Conducting and Leading Wiretap Investigations

Overview:
Court-Authorized wiretaps are an indispensable tool for making conspiracy cases that attack the leadership of drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and dismantle DTOs. Informants, undercover agents and surveillance have limits and can take an investigation only so far. Wiretaps break through that barrier to capture the actual voices of leaders and conspirators incriminating themselves and others - leaders who never touch narcotics, those who move the money and those too careful to be caught by traditional methods. The defendants’ own voices become the best evidence against them. Wiretap evidence is so compelling and powerful that most cases never go to trial and end in guilty pleas. Such “slam-dunk” cases motivate defendants to cooperate on other cases. As an added benefit, wiretaps often produce leads and evidence of valuable assets subject to forfeiture.

Investigators, Agents and Task Force agents who are highly skilled and motivated should be able to obtain and successfully conduct a wiretap investigation. In this “how to” course, experienced and inexperienced agents will learn how to conduct a wiretap investigation from start to finish – from developing probable cause, preparing a wiretap affidavit, successfully conducting and leading a wiretap investigation and taking down the wire, to conducting follow up investigations and preparing for trial. These tactics, techniques and procedures can be applied to existing and future investigations.

The course is designed for law enforcement professionals and prosecutors who wish to develop powerful cases and dismantle drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) using the ultimate law enforcement tool available.