Implementation of Intelligence Led Policing in U.S Police Departments - Dissertation Example

?Implementation of Intelligence led Policing in U.S police Departments The increasing crime rates and the higher rate of organised and other serious crimes have prompted world nations such as the United States, Australia and the U.K to implement Intelligence-led policing that sought to prevent and reduce crimes. Intelligence Led Policing makes use of the modern technological developments such as computer databases that gather intelligence information and analyse them. It can also be seen that with the implementation of Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) there is a correlation between the surge of intelligence information gathered and the use of this information to solve crimes in the past five years. As police departments implement new programs and policies considerable variations have developed in the interpretation of ILP. As such, there is a need to create a systemic use of the intelligence information. This paper seeks to explore the factors that led to the implementation of Intelligence-led policing, throws light on the major features of ILP and evaluates how effective is ILP in reducing and preventing crimes in the United States. Ratcliffe (2002), in this regard, views Intelligence led Policing (ILP) as a very effective and positive contribution with regard to crime prevention and reduction. Intelligence led Policing aims at bringing about rapid and significant changes in crimes and crime rates in such a fruitful way that the whole of criminal justice system benefits out of the positive outcomes of this new policing practice. Effective implementation of intelligence led policing calls for an integrated intelligence structure, key performance indicators and collaboration with outside agencies; similarly, the authors state that information gathering process should make use of “surveillance devices and techniques, closed circuit television, financial tracking, the importance of undercover officers, and tasked or participating informers” (Ratcliffe, 2002, p. 54). Intelligence-led policing, for Ratcliffe, is a business model and a management philosophy rather than a mere policing practice. It is worthwhile to analyse his definition of Intelligence-led policing as “a business model and management philosophy where data analysis and crime intelligence are pivotal to an objective, decision-making framework that facilitates crime and problem reduction, disruption and prevention through both strategic management and effective enforcement strategies that target prolific and serious offenders” (Gottschalk, 2009, p. 286). As the quotation makes it clear, effective Intelligence Led Policing presupposes the implementation of an intelligence strategy that can withstand criminal intelligence and strategies. The Intelligence led Policing (ILP) model policing resorts to a cost-effective crime reduction strategy that can be employed not only in the case of organized and serious crimes but also for high volume crimes such as burglary and vehicle theft. In this respect, Ratcliffe argues that such issues as “the use of computers to collate, analyse and disseminate intelligence, the relationship between the police and criminal informers, and the perceived effectiveness and evaluation of intelligence-driven strategies” need to be addressed when dealing with Intelligence led policing (Ratcliffe, 2002, p. 55). The rapid developments in the field of Information technology has not only facilitated the managing of information and intelligence but also has accelerated effective intelligence computer system, a necessary prerequisite to effective intelligence led policing. The growing public and private need for information has enhanced the responsibilities and roles of intelligence led policing in the 21st century. However, studies have shown that most of the information collected through policing is used by various agencies for risk management needs rather than crime prevention. In this regard, Ericson and Haggerty have pointed out that “most of the crime-related knowledge produced by the police is disseminated to other institutions (for example, those concerned with health, insurance, public welfare, financial matters, and education) for their risk management needs, rather than used for criminal prosecution and punishment” (Ericson and Haggerty, 1997, p. 5). Similarly, the large amount of information collected through policing has called for the need for the grading of information where the intelligence led policing can record potential intelligence; thus, there should be specific guidelines and criteria for the police regarding what data to collect and retain. In United States the term ‘intelligence’ brought about strong debates within the context of policing as the public were already worried about the ‘abuses of police intelligence activity investigating non-violent organizations in the US in the 1950s and 1960s’ (Wakefield & Fleming, 2009, P. 178). Therefore, ILP is also mentioned as ‘information-led policing’ in the American context. However, the data collected through ILP differs from mere information as intelligence data are thoroughly analysed information that explains the criminal environment in the nation. On the other hand, in U.K the concept of intelligence-led policing is very often associated with the National Intelligence Model. The National Intelligence Model, for John & Maguire, “represents an effort to promote effective intelligence led-policing on a national basis and to standardise intelligence-related structures, processes and practices across all police services in England and Wales” (John & Maguire). However, one can notice considerable differences between the two. While the ILP primarily aims at the reduction and prevention of crimes one can notice that the “evaluations of the National Intelligence Model have, to now, focussed on the effectiveness of the model to provide for effective information sharing and clear setting of priorities rather than its ability to deliver crime prevention” (Wakefield & Fleming, 2009, P. 178). However, the ILP has also been influenced by the National Intelligence Model in terms of its policies and practices. The relationship between Intelligence-Led Policing and Terrorism also need to be unearthed. Ever since the September 11 attack ILP has played remarkable roles in counter terrorism. The ILP not only collects the necessary intelligence information regarding terrorist strategies and attacks, it also probes into other significant crime incidents that challenge national interests. For this purpose, the New York Police Department has alone appointed more than 1,000 police officers who are to dedicated to counterterrorism; similarly, the department also “employs intelligence experts, has officers fluent in many foreign languages, constantly monitors new source and intelligence data, and has agents stationed overseas in terrorist hot spots” (Scaramella, McCamey & Cox, 2010, p. 449). It can be observed that after the September 11 attacks, the United States of America has considerably increased its intelligence-gathering activities through intelligence-led policing. No doubt, these efforts by the various state police Departments are sure to reduce terrorist activities in the long run. ILP as an effective policing strategy has been widely used today in the United States. As researchers have pointed out, “whereas in the past only big-city police departments had the resources to maintain intelligence units to target drug smugglers and organized crime, today law enforcement agencies of all sizes are developing these capabilities” (Regoli & Hewitt, 2009, p. 95). As such one can find a number of ILP information centres that coordinate intelligence data at the national, state, and local level in many parts of the nation and these steps are most likely to bring about effective crime reduction and prevention. The implementation of the Intelligence Led Policing has been closely associated with Information Technology that many have identified its immense possibilities in intelligence phases. The United Kingdom has already identified the benefit of ILT in resource utilisation and in reducing crime. However, one has to wade through various materials and historical studies to identify the evolution of the previous intelligence policy, investigation -led intelligence to intelligence-led policing. Anyhow, one can see that it was the failure of the traditional policing that led the policy makers to think of another systematic policy that would prevent organised crime. It was the failure of the traditional policing lead the American government to think of a sophisticated model of intelligence policing. The actual problem regarding the traditional policing was that the existing standard model of reactive policing was insufficient in identifying the crime that hit the US at the beginning of the mid 1960s and as such it led the failure of the criminal justice system in the 1970s (Ratcliffe, 2008). One can cite similar examples from the UK where in the mid 1970s witnessed a demand gap that saw requests for police attention and assistance far outstrip any corresponding increases in police resources or personnel (Flood 2004). These factors lead to problem-oriented policing, community policing, team policing and other attempts that later paved the way for the modern policing. Another factor that exerted a tremendous influence in the origin of the new policy was the improvements in the information technology. The mid 1970s saw the developments in the police departments slowly adopting greater technological solutions for their information management needs. They had to gather statistics for the governmental purposes and use this data for police-decision making. This has led the crime analysts in the police departments to be named as a group adept at using this ‘new knowledge’ (Ratcliffe 2008) helping the mid-level commanders to provide a strategic picture of crime for senior management. Pressure for greater managerial professionalization was the other factor that hastened the advent of intelligence led policing. There were many demands on the police for effectiveness and efficiency. The growth in the UK of the ‘new public management’ movement saw government take an active interest in the day?to?day business of policing for the first time (Crawford 1997). It made the police to be more cautious about the risk management assessment which was on the verge of falling out from the police force. It also forced the police force to have access to information and make significant changes in the business of policing (Ericson & Haggerty 1997). The growth of serious and organised crime was the most important thing that accelerated the actions for implementing an intelligence-led policing in the police force. Various factors after the Cold War caused for rapid changes in international level, in a way, helped for the growth of serious and organised crime. These organised crimes have a greater impact on the police force that either the police departments were isolated from their colleagues or they were subjected for organisational restructuring. These movements in the police force gradually lead them to seek out new models of policing that would provide them a conceptual frame work on which to orientate themselves. Ratcliffe (2003) has also identified many other factors that paved the way for intelligence-led policing. He is of the view that “Existing policing roles and the levels of accountability lacked integration and efficiency” and as such, “The police were failing to make the best use of resources” and it has been realised that “Greater emphasis on tackling criminals would be more effective than focusing on crimes.” These factors lead one to the inference that intelligence led policing was inevitable to regulate the increasing crimes rates and strengthen the police force. Various studies conducted overtime have clearly identified the integral role of the Intelligence- Led Policing in reducing crimes rates. Robert Heaton conducted such a study in the research paper entitled; Intelligence-Led Policing and Volume Crime Reduction. Here the author identifies that ‘ILP was more effective than the practice of alternative policing styles in the 1990s’ (Heaton 2009). But Heaton also states, ‘On the evidence of this study, there is little force in the argument that the practice of ILP significantly reduced ‘all crime’ and burglary levels, when measured at the police force level.’ However, one can infer that ‘The ILP forces appear to have achieved greater reductions than those of other forces’ (Heaton 2009). This underlines the above stated fact that Intelligence –Led Policing has an elite role in reducing crime rates. To conclude, one can infer that Intelligence-Led Policing has assumed greater significance in the modern era where the rates of serious and organised crimes are increasing. As it is following modern technological developments, it has been well accepted in the modern society for preventing organised crimes. When adopting ILP, it should be noted that whole criminal justice system benefits in various ways. But the Information Security system of ILP also should be taken for granted when regarding the implementation of ILP. It should make sure that they have been well coordinated and executed. Hence, it leads to the conclusion that in Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) there is a correlation between the surge of intelligence information gathered and the use of this information to solve crimes in the past five years. As police departments implement new programs and policies considerable variations have developed in the interpretation of ILP. References Crawford, A. (1997) The local governance of crime: appeals to community and partnerships. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Eriscon, R.V. and Haggerty, K.D. (1997). Policing the risk society. Oxford, Clarendon Press. Ericson, R.V. and Haggerty, K.D. (1997) Policing the Risk Society. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Flood, B. (2004) 'Strategic aspects of the UK National Intelligence Model', in J.H. Ratcliffe (Ed) Strategic Thinking in Criminal Intelligence. Sydney: Federation Press. Gottschalk, P. (2009). Knowledge Management in Police Oversight: Law Enforcement Integrity and Accountability. Universal-Publishers. John, T & Maguire, M. The National Intelligence Model: key lessons from early research. Home Office Online Report 30/04. Retrieved 13 Feb. 11 from: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/rdsolr3004.pdf Ratcliffe, J.H. (2002). Intelligence-led policing and the problems of turning rhetoric into practice. Policing and Society, 12(1), 53-66. Regoli, R.M & Hewitt, J.D. (2009). Exploring Criminal Justice: The Essentials. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Ratcliffe, J.H., (2008) Intelligence?led policing. In R. Wortley, L. Mazerolle, & S. Rombouts S (Eds.), Environmental Criminology and Crime Analysis. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing. Ratcliffe, J.H. (2003) 'Intelligence?led policing', Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 248, pp. 6. Scaramella, G., McCamey, W.P & Cox, S.M. (2010). Introduction to Policing. SAGE. Wakefield, A & Fleming, J. (2009). The SAGE Dictionary of Policing. Illustrated edn: SAGE Publications Ltd. Read More