Page 29 - July 2020 Board Meeting Agenda_Neat

1. What is the difference between a Criminal Intelligence Analyst and
a Crime Analyst?

The mission of the intelligence analyst, as described in the NCISP , is to research and analyze raw data,
1,2
apply critical thinking and logic skills to develop sound conclusions and recommendations, and provide
actionable intelligence in a cohesive and clear manner to management. 3

As related to analyzing vehicle crimes, criminal intelligence “is the creation of an intelligence knowledge
product that supports decision making in the areas of law enforcement, crime reduction, and crime
prevention. In this context, an intelligence knowledge product is a product that can influence the thinking
of a decision maker. It is the result of a criminal intelligence analysis and could be a written bulletin, a
presentation, a verbal report, or some combination of these in a briefing. An intelligence knowledge
product could even be a brief telephone conversation if the intelligence is timely and has an effect on the
decision making of the recipient of the intelligence.” 4

Typically, the intelligence analyst provides support pertaining to tactical intelligence, operational
intelligence and strategic intelligence. Each of these levels may be described as: 4
• Tactical Intelligence level of analysis supports front-line enforcement officers and investigators in
taking case-specific action in order to achieve enforcement objectives such as tactical plans. 4, 5
Tactical Intelligence is the quick hit analysis that speeds up the intelligence cycle. Typically, Tactical
Intelligence supports officers on the ground during a situation, or when a situation is about to
happen. For example, during the Super Bowl, an IA might monitor social media and interpret the
publicly available information to inform those concerned regarding the potential for a riot, or other
criminal activity.
• Operational intelligence is the creation of an intelligence product that supports area commanders
and regional operational managers in planning crime reduction activity and deploying resources to
achieve operational objectives (Ratcliffe 2004). Operational Intelligence can be utilized by everyone
4
from the officer on scene to the command level enforcement personnel as it’s more long-term and
is usually produced in reference to criminal enterprises and complex investigations.
• Strategic intelligence aims to provide insight and understanding into patterns of criminal behavior
and the functioning of the criminal environment, and aims to be future-oriented and proactive. This
intelligence is used by executives and top-level managers who are responsible for organizational
planning designed to impact the criminal environment. Strategic Intelligence has a target audience
4
of high-level decision makers. In this type of intelligence, IAs develop products that allow
management to make the most informed decision on important issues, such as resource
management, resource allocation, and policy decisions.

Crime analysis is essentially the “systematic study of crime and disorder problems as well as other
police-related issues—including sociodemographic, spatial, and temporal factors—to assist the police
in criminal apprehension, crime and disorder reduction, crime prevention, and evaluation.” Like criminal

1 National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan (NCISP, October 2003, Version 1, Third Printing July 2005), U.S. Department
of Justice, https://it.ojp.gov/documents/National_Criminal_Intelligence_Sharing_Plan.pdf
2 National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan (NCISP, October 2013, Version 2.0), U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of
Justice Assistance, https://it.ojp.gov/AT/Resource/147
3 Law Enforcement Analytic Standards (April 2012), International Association of Intelligence Analysts, Inc., Global Justice
Information Sharing Initiative, https://it.ojp.gov/AT/Resource/176
4 Integrated Intelligence and Crime Analysis: Enhanced Information Management for Law Enforcement Leaders, Jerry H.
Ratcliffe, Ph.D., Second Edition, Police Foundation, Community Oriented Policing Services, U.S. Department of Justice,
ISBN 978-188461421-7, August 2007, pp 8-12.
5 Adapted from Ratcliff, J.H. (2004). “the structure of strategic thinking’, in J.H. Ratcliffe (Ed.), Strategic Thinking in
Criminal Intelligence (pp. 1-10). Sydney: Federation Press.