A judge will order the government to reveal the CI’s identity the informant is a "material witness" to the crime itself.

In Indiana, the question comes up frequently: Is there a public database of snitches? Can I find out who the CI is in my neighbor’s drug case?

CIs are not police officers. They are often criminals themselves—cooperating defendants, former associates, or citizens with insider knowledge. Despite what urban legends suggest, there is no master spreadsheet or searchable online database titled “Indiana Confidential Informants.”

If the judge decides the CI has no material evidence, the name stays hidden forever. If the judge decides the CI is essential, the name is disclosed only to the defense attorney—not the public. Inside every Indiana police department and federal task force (like the FBI’s Indiana offices or the DEA’s Chicago Field Division which covers NW Indiana), there is a list. It’s kept in a secure, often paper-based, locked file. It might be called a "Confidential Source File."

The Myth of the "Confidential Informant List" in Indiana: What the Law Actually Says