Fundamentals of Narcotics Investigations

Entry-Level Training for New Drug Investigators

This course is built for new narcotics investigators who are stepping into the world of plainclothes drug enforcement. Over two packed days, students are walked through the core operational, legal, and tactical principles they need to safely work drug cases — and build investigations that lead to convictions, not dismissals.

We focus on short-term and local-level investigations — the kind most street teams and drug units are actually working — and teach proven techniques that reduce risk and stand up in court. This isn’t theory. Students break down real reports, real search warrants, and real case outcomes, learning what works, what fails, and why.

We emphasize how to articulate what you saw, what you smelled, and why you acted — because the way you write it is the way it’ll be judged. Officers leave with a framework for making prosecutable arrests while staying within constitutional limits — and keeping themselves and their teams alive.

Whether you're building your first case or just stepping into plainclothes work, this class is your foundation for real-world narcotics enforcement.

Instructors: 

Tanner Jenkins and Scott Courrege, J.D. (See "About Us" for bios.)

Topics:

• Overview of Drug Laws

• Search & Seizure Essentials

• Plain Smell Doctrine

• Drug ID & Local Trafficking Trends

• Case Initiation: From Complaint to Probable Cause

• CI Management Basics

• Investigative Techniques:

  • Buy Walks / Buy Busts / Reverses

  • Knock & Talks / Trash Pulls

• Search Warrants:

  • Drafting, Scope, and Execution

  • Residential Search Protocols

• Evidence Handling & Report Writing

• Case Studies: Lessons from Real Investigations

What You'll Leave With:

• A street-tested checklist for building clean, prosecutable cases

• A better understanding of legal articulation — in your words, not lawyer-speak

• Practical skills that directly improve officer safety and courtroom outcomes