LANSING, Mich. (Sept. 30, 2021) — Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) today introduced Senate Bill 669 to prohibit police agencies from using minors as informants without parental/guardian permission. This legislation would protect children from dangerous situations and give parents and guardians the right to damages and legal fees if permission is not obtained.
Michigan law does not require law enforcement to receive approval from a parent or guardian to use juvenile informants in criminal investigations. Florida and California both have laws requiring parental permission.
“Confidential informants are sent into dangerous scenarios with dangerous people,” Sen. Irwin said. “It’s inappropriate to use a juvenile as an informant without informing the parents. We require parental permission for nearly every aspect of a child’s life. This should be no different.”
In most cases, juveniles are used as confidential informants after they’ve been arrested on drug charges in exchange for having potential charges dropped or reduced. In 2011, Shelly Hilliard, a Detroit native, was caught by police with an ounce of cannabis. After being threatened with jail time, Hilliard was convinced to become an informant. She helped law enforcement set up her dealer in exchange for being able to go free with no charges. After the dealer was arrested and then released, he tracked down and gruesomely murdered her in retaliation. Her family sued Oakland County and was awarded a $1.07 million settlement in 2017.
“This is a serious problem. When juveniles are caught with drugs, law enforcement should help them get the support they need, not use them as pawns,” Sen. Irwin said. “At the end of the day, these are children being sent into situations that are dangerous, potentially life threatening, or harmful to their mental health. Laws like this are necessary to keep kids safe.”
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