Directorate of Operations

Overview
The CIA’s Directorate of Operations (DO) is the service responsible for gathering human-source intelligence around the world. It does this primarily by recruiting HUMINT sources and by collaborating with host-country intelligence services and police services. The DO is also the CIA directorate responsible for over-seas covert action. DO sources and operations are among the most sensitive information in the intelligence community, and the DO is notoriously reluctant to share information &mdash; even within the CIA. Information comes directly to the DO headquarters from field offices, and DO personnel prepare a report about that information. Raw products that would identify a human source never leave the DO, and typically only the most senior CIA analysts see the DO report. To the extent information about human sources and about covert actions is disseminated, it is done only on paper, not electronically.

Source

 * Creating a Trusted Network for Homeland Security, App. B.