---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Law enforcement has always had informants…"
description: "\"Law enforcement has always had informants and people they've had to deal with, who walk a certain line. They're choosing between the lesser of two evil..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg"
---

#  Law enforcement has always had informants and people…

![“Law enforcement has always had informants and people they've had to deal with, who walk a certain line. They're choosing between the lesser of two evils. They're befriend one person to gain access to another person, who's a bigger fish.” quote by Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg)

> “Law enforcement has always had informants and people they've had to deal with, who walk a certain line. They're choosing between the lesser of two evils. They're befriend one person to gain access to another person, who's a bigger fish.”

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Law enforcement uses informants to infiltrate larger targets, balancing moral compromises.

**In simple terms:** Police use informants to reach bigger criminals, weighing ethical choices.

Key Takeaway

Weigh ethical trade‑offs when using informants.

Themes

ethics law enforcement strategy

Mood

tense reflective

Type

advice analytical

When to use this quote

- criminal investigations
- counter‑terrorism
- organized crime
- political espionage

Key Concepts

informant networks risk assessment

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you ensure informant credibility?
- What safeguards prevent abuse?

A Different Perspective

Reliance on informants can lead to unreliable intelligence.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Bigger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigger/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Deals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deals/) [Enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcement/) [Enforcement Informants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforcement-informants-4120214/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evils Befriend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evils-befriend-4120216/) [Fishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fishes/) [Gains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gains/) [Informants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informants/) [Informants People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/informants-people-4120215/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law enforcement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-enforcement/) [Lesser of two evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lesser-of-two-evils/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two evils](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-evils/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/)

## Related quotes

> [“If it feels like you're choosing between the lesser of two evils, don't. There is always a higher choice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-neill/if-it-feels-like-you-re-choosing-between-the-lesser-of-two-evils-don/)

[Michael Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-neill/)

> [Every time we have had a presidential election where there is "White or Black," you always have to choose between the lesser of two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/every-time-we-have-had-a-presidential-election-where-there-is-white/)

[Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/)

> [Voting for the lesser of two evils is voting for your own enslavement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-celente/voting-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils-is-voting-for-your-own-enslavement/)

[Gerald Celente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-celente/)

> [I don't consider Hillary Clinton to be the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-don-t-consider-hillary-clinton-to-be-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/)

> [Abortion is not the lesser of two evils. It is a crime. It is to throw someone out in order to save another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/abortion-is-not-the-lesser-of-two-evils-it-is-a-crime-it-is-to-throw/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Some rule out of a lust for ruling; others, so as not to be ruled:Mto these it is merely the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/some-rule-out-of-a-lust-for-ruling-others-so-as-not-to-be-ruled-mto/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [If you always vote for the lesser of two evils, you will always have evil, and you will always have less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/if-you-always-vote-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-will-always-have/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [The lesser of two evils, or the least of the worst, is not good enough for the American people anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/the-lesser-of-two-evils-or-the-least-of-the-worst-is-not-good-enough/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [There's a terrible danger in voting for the lesser of two evils because the parties can set it up that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/there-s-a-terrible-danger-in-voting-for-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/)

> [Well, I'm against Bush. I'm definitely not pro-Bush. I think he's a maniac and a mad man, and I think he needs to go.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-miret/well-i-m-against-bush-i-m-definitely-not-pro-bush-i-think-he-s-a/)

[Roger Miret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-miret/)

> [But you don't do it. Because guys like us, Red, we know there's a third choice. An alternative to staying simon-pure or bathing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/but-you-don-t-do-it-because-guys-like-us-red-we-know-there-s-a-third/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Although war is evil, it is occasionally the lesser of two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mcgeorge-bundy/although-war-is-evil-it-is-occasionally-the-lesser-of-two-evils/)

[McGeorge Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mcgeorge-bundy/)

> [If you are picking the lesser of two evils, you are still picking Evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/if-you-are-picking-the-lesser-of-two-evils-you-are-still-picking-evil/)

[Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/)

> [The two-party system is a bad joke on the American people; when it comes to Republicans and Democrats remember they are two sides of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-russo/the-two-party-system-is-a-bad-joke-on-the-american-people-when-it/)

[Aaron Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-russo/)

> [If you have difficulties making a decision, choose the lesser of the two evils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/if-you-have-difficulties-making-a-decision-choose-the-lesser-of-the/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

## More by Mike Colter

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I think when people talk about art imitating life, you're in real time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-think-when-people-talk-about-art-imitating-life-you-re-in-real-time/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I'm a bit bored of going to the gym! I'm like, 'Someone put me out of my misery - I can't do this anymore!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-bit-bored-of-going-to-the-gym-i-m-like-someone-put-me-out-of-my/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [As an actor, you just want to continue to work on things that you like. You can be in this business a long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-an-actor-you-just-want-to-continue-to-work-on-things-that-you-like/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Sometimes you don't know the effect of words until you hear it used on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/sometimes-you-don-t-know-the-effect-of-words-until-you-hear-it-used/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [As long as I didn't have to put on the tiara and the chains and the big yellow shirt for the whole series, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/as-long-as-i-didn-t-have-to-put-on-the-tiara-and-the-chains-and-the/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Love, for me, is always wanting the best for the other person even if it's not what's best for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/love-for-me-is-always-wanting-the-best-for-the-other-person-even-if/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Some people in America don't ever interact with black people outside of television, so we should give them real, believable characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/some-people-in-america-don-t-ever-interact-with-black-people-outside/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I'm always game for creating a new character, and I liked the idea of putting something new into the 'Halo' universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-always-game-for-creating-a-new-character-and-i-liked-the-idea-of/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [History repeats itself over and over again, but most of us have short memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/history-repeats-itself-over-and-over-again-but-most-of-us-have-short/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I'm a very un-excitable person. I always take things with a grain of salt, I'm always very even-keeled, and I'm always waiting for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-m-a-very-un-excitable-person-i-always-take-things-with-a-grain-of/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I met some people in college and I kept cracking away until someone pointed me in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-met-some-people-in-college-and-i-kept-cracking-away-until-someone/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [A lot of times in life, women want to talk, but men don't want to listen, and if they do want to listen, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/a-lot-of-times-in-life-women-want-to-talk-but-men-don-t-want-to/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [I like to take a break, but at the same time, I think most actors are not very good at sitting around doing nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-like-to-take-a-break-but-at-the-same-time-i-think-most-actors-are/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Never say "never" about anything, because if you do, life has a way of humbling you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/never-say-never-about-anything-because-if-you-do-life-has-a-way-of/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

[Explore all 133 Mike Colter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

## More Access quotes

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/)

[Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/)

> [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/)

[Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/)

> [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/)

[Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/)

> [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/)

[Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/)

> [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/)

[King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/)

[Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/)

> [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/)

[Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/)

> [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/)

[Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/)

> [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/)

[Andrew Nikiforuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-nikiforuk/)

> [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/)

[Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/)

> [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/)

[Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/)

[Browse all 2,178 Access quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Law enforcement has always had informants and people they've had to deal with, who walk a certain line. They're choosing between the lesser of two evils. They're befriend one person to gain access to another person, who's a bigger fish.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Mike Colter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/law-enforcement-has-always-had-informants-and-people-they-ve-had-to/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Access"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/law-enforcement-has-always-had-informants-and-people-they-ve-had-to/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b91/mike-colter-3338_access_law-enforcement-has-always-had-informant_2089055.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Law enforcement has always had informants and people they've had to deal with, who walk a certain line…” — Mike Colter",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Mike Colter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Law enforcement has always had informants...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/law-enforcement-has-always-had-informants-and-people-they-ve-had-to/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/law-enforcement-has-always-had-informants-and-people-they-ve-had-to/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
