Which of the following is one of the four factors important in establishing the validity of an informant's tip?

• A. The informant's age.
• B. The time of day the information was provided.
• C. First hand knowledge of the facts related.
• D. The informant's favorite food.

Answer: (C)

Evaluating an informant tip relies on the informant’s direct knowledge of the facts. When the informant has first-hand knowledge, the information comes from what the person actually observed or learned themselves, which makes the tip more trustworthy and easier to verify with independent evidence. This firsthand basis reduces the chance that details were distorted or misunderstood as the information passes along. In contrast, factors like age, the time the tip was given, or personal preferences don’t indicate how accurate or reliable the content is, so they don’t help establish validity.