Reading Materials on Law Enforcement Intelligence

Source: Student Manual on IDII Course 2013, Office of the Anti-Terrorism Assistance
Provided by: PSUPT PEÑONES, NC – Asst. Professor IV

LAW ENFORCEMENT INTELLIGENCE

Introduction

When properly used, law enforcement intelligence can mean the difference between detecting
and preventing a criminal activity and the unnecessary loss of life and property. Law
enforcement intelligence can improve a wide range of law enforcement activities, including
investigations, raid planning, budgeting, resource allocation, training, staffing, and, most
importantly, detecting and preventing illegal activities.

Intelligence can be defined in many ways, depending on your frame of reference. It can be
defined as:
 Information
 A product
 A process
 An agency or unit

Intelligence refers to a process, using information from all sources and focused externally,
designed to reduce the level of uncertainty for a decision-maker.

Law enforcement intelligence is best defined as an analytical process that develops meaning
from facts. It takes information collected during an investigation and uses the information to
identify something more than was previously evident.

It is important to remember that law enforcement intelligence does not involve:

 Illegal collection of information
 Illegal retention of personal information
 Illegal covert or clandestine activity
 Subterfuge
 Provocateur

Information Versus Intelligence

Many people use the terms information and intelligence interchangeably. However, there is a
distinct difference between the two.

Information is knowledge acquired in any manner; it includes anything that is known, regardless
of how it may have been discovered. Information begins as unrefined, raw data that is scattered
and unprocessed.

Intelligence is information that has been collected, improved (evaluated and analyzed), and
focused to meet stated or understood needs of a decision-maker (the customer). It is the end
product of a complex analytic process and is used as the basis for making informed decisions and
taking action.

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Reading Materials on Law Enforcement Intelligence
Source: Student Manual on IDII Course 2013, Office of the Anti-Terrorism Assistance
Provided by: PSUPT PEÑONES, NC – Asst. Professor IV

A law enforcement investigation is the process of collecting information by law enforcement

officers or the prosecutor to determine if a crime has been committed. The goal of a law
enforcement investigation is to:
 Arrest suspects
 Return property
 Assist in the prosecution of suspects
 Collect information for analysis

The items have to be collected, documented, processed (analyzed), evaluated, and presented to a
judge, who then decides if the items are admissible as evidence for a jury to consider when
reaching its verdict. In this example, the information collected can be considered later by a judge
to be used as evidence. Using the same line of thought, intelligence cannot be “collected” any
more than evidence can be collected. Instead, what is collected is information that will be put
through a rigorous process and transformed into intelligence.

Focus of Objectives

In law enforcement, criminal investigations and intelligence investigations have different

objectives. The objectives of a criminal investigation are the arrest of a suspect, the seizure of
illegal goods, or the closure of a case. The objective of an intelligence investigation is to provide
managers or decision-makers with the information they need for planning, decision-making, and
the prevention of crime and terrorism.

Investigation versus Intelligence

Law enforcement investigations and law enforcement intelligence seek to satisfy different needs
in law enforcement.

Law enforcement investigations are reactive in nature and seek only to identify crime-related
suspects and activities. All of the files in an investigation must eventually be disclosed when the
case goes to trial. The sources in an investigation are known, along with the investigators.

By contrast, law enforcement intelligence is proactive in nature and seeks to meet a stated or
understood need of the customer, such as management and supervisors responsible for the
allocation of resources in an agency. Intelligence is generated from information that has been
collected, refined, and narrowed to meet those needs. It is the end product of a complex process
and a basis for action. It is prevention directed and not necessarily crime related. Sources,
collectors, methods, and the intelligence files themselves are protected and may not be
admissible in judicial proceedings.

Uses for Intelligence

There are many ways that law enforcement intelligence can be used to improve police
management and operations. Given today’s problems with terrorism and international crime,

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Reading Materials on Law Enforcement Intelligence
Source: Student Manual on IDII Course 2013, Office of the Anti-Terrorism Assistance
Provided by: PSUPT PEÑONES, NC – Asst. Professor IV

your law enforcement intelligence can often contribute to the actions of other government
agencies. The uses become more apparent when you consider the three levels of law enforcement
intelligence.

Levels of Intelligence

There are three levels of law enforcement intelligence. In general, the level determines what
information you will collect to address the problem or issue you are confronting or the question
you need to answer.
1. Strategic
2. Operational
3. Tactical

Strategic intelligence

Strategic intelligence is the most expansive level of intelligence. It: Addresses the “big picture”;
Deals with issues involving mission, goals, objectives, programs, and resource planning; Focuses
on emerging problems, continuing problems, and risk and threat assessments; Speaks to
executive-level issues relevant over months and years; and May use large amounts of
organizational resources

Strategic intelligence has an impact on the mission, goals, and objectives of your agency and will
influence the dedication of manpower, equipment, training, recruitment, and other key issues that
will shape and define your agency for years to come.

Strategic intelligence typically concentrates on the capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, and

tendencies of criminal organizations. Using the best information available, you are expected to
draw conclusions about what is most likely to take place sometime in the future. In turn, your
customer is expected to make decisions and plan for certain contingencies based on your
conclusions. In the example provided, the head of your agency may have to revise the agency
budget, order new and different equipment, redeploy personnel, recruit officers who speak
multiple languages, and train officers in new skills. These actions and more could be anticipated
based on the conclusions of your law enforcement strategic intelligence reports.

Operational Intelligence

Operational intelligence is an intermediate level of intelligence and is often case specific. It:
Bridges the gap between strategic and tactical intelligence; Supports ongoing operations and
investigations; Generally involves multiple targets; Often involves multiple jurisdictions or
agencies; and Focuses on issues relevant over days to weeks, although it can sometimes run into
years

By gaining an understanding of how the criminal organization operates, the investigators are in a
better position to dismantle the entire enterprise as opposed to disrupting a piece of it and leaving
the remaining members and associates to carry on with the business. This is especially important
when the investigation focuses on a terrorist organization. While arresting one or two members

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Reading Materials on Law Enforcement Intelligence
Source: Student Manual on IDII Course 2013, Office of the Anti-Terrorism Assistance
Provided by: PSUPT PEÑONES, NC – Asst. Professor IV

of a terrorist organization may gain headlines for the agency, it could trigger an unanticipated
response from those who eluded arrest. Sound, operational intelligence can be used to surgically
guide enforcement actions and minimize the likelihood of a response. Likewise, operational
intelligence gathered on multiple criminal organizations should be combined in a central location
and examined to reveal patterns and trends useful for strategic intelligence purposes.

Tactical Intelligence

Tactical intelligence is the most narrowly focused level of intelligence. It: Facilitates immediate
action that is short-range in nature; Targets a specific activity; Meets daily needs of a unit;
Requires less coordination; and Focuses on issues relevant over hours to days

As a rule, tactical intelligence is time-sensitive and to be of value often dictates prompt action.
Raid planning is one police activity that is enhanced through tactical intelligence.

Clearly, information gathered during the course of the tactical raid will be critical for the
prosecution of the case under investigation; it may also have value to those engaged in strategic
intelligence investigations.

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