Intelligence/crime analysis

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OPINION: In the second of a two-part article on the police analyst profession, intelligence analysts specialists Dr Scott Keay, Keith Jackson and Steve French examine the findings from a survey by the Association of Crime and Intelligence Analysts (ACIA) about improving the analyst role and how such organisations can support the continuous professional development of analysts.

OPINION: In this first of a two-part article on the police analyst profession, intelligence analyst specialists Dr Scott Keay, Keith Jackson and Steve French explore the journey of the analyst role over the last 25 years, look at the barriers and challenges that have impacted on that role, and also consider the positive value that good analysis can have.

OPINION: The recent review of the Australian Central Intelligence Commission has led to a change of role for the agency, with a focus on intelligence aimed at combating serious and organised crime, rather than traditional law enforcement and investigation; but Dr John Coyne and Liam Auliciems of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) warn that for the reorientation to succeed, challenges around operational responsibilities, resources, and ensuring intelligence is actionable will need to be addressed.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: With over a decade of military and cyber intelligence experience, including training alongside NATO, Iulian Timischi introduces the urgent need for a new model of intelligence analysis that can keep pace with our modern data-driven age.

ANALYSIS: Research by criminal intelligence specialist Helen Glazebrook as part of a Churchill Fellowship award examines the collaboration between police and correctional facilities in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US and the UK, highlighting the need for closer co-operation between agencies particularly in relation to monitoring the actions of those involved in serious organised crime, as she explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Uncovering the role of social media in the Southport riots and how open-source intelligence (OSINT) can combat misinformation and violent calls to action.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: Leadership, knowledge and application are the fundamentals to continuous education and training across all policing fields, essential to keep updated on best practices, legal changes and evolving community needs. The Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies (LCAPS) offers a comprehensive learning portfolio featuring academic policing programs designed to equip police professionals with the essential skills needed to apply to the everchanging complex challenges of modern policing.

ANALYSIS: In the second of two articles on the community intelligence-led policing methodology (CILPM), Steve Dodd, a former South Wales Police detective and College of Policing subject matter expert on intelligence professionalisation, looks at how CILPM can help to tackle some of the existing key policing challenges, and why the current focus on community and neighbourhood policing make it the ideal time to adopt the new methodology.

ANALYSIS: With a renewed government focus on neighbourhood and community policing in the UK, Steve Dodd, a former South Wales Police detective and College of Policing subject matter expert on intelligence professionalisation, sets out the potential of community intelligence-led policing methodology in improving intelligence gathering and rebuilding public trust and confidence, in the first of a two-part series.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: In today’s intricate financial landscape, uncovering financial crime is more crucial than ever. Fundamentally, it’s a network problem: diving into the intricate web of ownership structures, often extending through multiple levels and involving numerous entities.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: With the technology at our disposal being more predictive, fast and accurate than ever before, there is a huge opportunity to revert to a mission that has accidentally been sidestepped in recent years. Can and should equal attention be paid towards the offender and prevention?

ANALYSIS: In this second article of a two-part series about the modern ransomware threat, Policing Insight’s James Sweetland examines how law enforcement tries to respond to this challenge and what role policing should play, drawing on exclusive interviews with the National Crime Agency, the National Cyber Security Centre and other experts. 

FEATURE: With 2024 marking the 25th anniversary of the launch of Europol, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the organisation’s efforts to support member states in the fight against key crime threats, and in particular the work of the Innovation Lab in identifying and developing new technologies, and promoting partnerships and regulatory standards.

ANALYSIS: Europol has identified 821 criminal networks with 25,000 members from 112 different nationalities which carry the biggest threat both inside the EU and internationally – based on the fact they are agile, borderless, controlling and destructive – and has called for “a culture of proactive international police co-operation” to tackle the threat, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: A new series of online ‘wellness cafés’ organised by the Recruitment, Retention and Wellbeing of Investigators sub-group of the National Police Chiefs’ Council is offering wellbeing support to secondary investigators and analysts at risk of traumatic stress and burnout because of the material they handle; Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons spoke to initiative leader Dr Fazeelat Duran and fellow researcher Dr Amy Burrell about the significant and often overlooked risks facing staff.

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ANALYSIS: New research by community safety professional Abu Ullah into the incidence of violence against women and girls in the London Borough of Sutton has highlighted the need for an evidence-based approach targeting hotspots to gain the most effective outcomes from overstretched police resources and reduce the threat to females, as he explained to Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: In the ever-evolving world of law enforcement, staying one step ahead is critical. The ability to expect, rather than merely react, is what often tilts the balance in solving cases. This paradigm shift is feasible with sophisticated intelligence software like HUME.

FEATURE: With money laundering continuing to pose a threat to security and safety through the use of funds for both criminal activity and terrorism, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports on the latest European Union agreements which should improve detection and strengthen prevention across members states.

FEATURE: In the latest in the new series of The Police Student focusing on Criminology in Policing, Policing Insight Academic Editor Dr Carina O’Reilly looks at the New Penology approach, which highlights the role of measurement and the rise in metrics in responses to crime, but also underlines some of the dangers of focusing solely on risk and harm when allocating resources.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE: As generative AI bursts onto the scene, it promises to transform people’s personal and professional lives forever. It could hold the key to police forces operating more effectively – but it’s also already being used by criminals for nefarious purposes. UK forces must consider: How can they harness GenAI while preventing its misuse?

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FEATURE: An evaluation report into the UK Government-funded Grip programme and hot spot policing initiative designed to tackle serious violence has highlighted significant reductions in crime and potential savings, but has also warned that the approach is not a “quick fix” and requires commitment and buy-in from forces and leaders, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.