Practice and Ethics of Intelligence-Led Policing Essay

Practice and Ethics of Intelligence-Led Policing - Essay Example The essay "Practice and Ethics of Intelligence-Led Policing" talks about the intelligence-led policing, a crime reduction strategy supported by law that is based on a combination of crime analysis and the criminal intelligence. The origin of the concept of intelligence-led policing was in the United Kingdom (UK). The basis of the concept was to target offenders since in general it was found that more attention was given to crime determination rather than targeting the offenders who commit those crimes. Thus the concept was more oriented to the problems leading to the criminal activities. Making use of intelligence in crime analysis has the ability to utilize the available resources in strategically targeting offenders and try to prevent crime. However, the ethical considerations of this policy are equally significant. The present study focuses on the practice and ethics of intelligence-led policing and determines whether this policy should be the future of law enforcement. Intelligen ce, as can be associated with the analyses of crimes, can be referred to the availability of information that is analyzed as well. Thus raw information that is collected does not represent intelligence. Intelligence is when the data is assessed and analyzed and used for the purpose of crime detection, prevention, and reduction. Intelligence can be either tactical or strategic. Tactical intelligence enables the accomplishment of particular inquiries. Strategic intelligence focuses on the broader insights of the crime investigation.... Strategic intelligence on the other hand, focuses on the broader insights of the crime investigation and thus takes into consideration the entire plan and manpower involved in the process. While tactical measures are meant for immediate actions, strategic intelligence is considered and planned over a significant period of time producing effective solutions to crime related problems (Intelligence-Led Policing: The New Intelligence Architecture, 2005, p.3). The primary need for intelligence arises in making effective decisions, planning of measures, strategically targeting the offenders and thus preventing and reducing the crimes and their effects. Collection of information, processing them and using the power of analyzed intelligence are required and prove to be significantly useful in most of the agencies working under the law enforcement power. The need for intelligence based crime detection and prevention became more significant after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States (US). Thus, now, the large amounts of data being collected and processed prove to be an effective measure in order to analyze the crimes. The different forms of collection of information involve physical surveillance that may be either conducted by an individual or through videotaping, electronic surveillance that can be conducted through trapping or tracing of information, use of secret informers, operators who remain undercover, reports from newspapers or other sources of media, as well as public records (Intelligence-Led Policing: The New Intelligence Architecture, 2005, pp.3-6). Intelligence-Led Policing: The Origin and the Process: Although some of the law enforcement agencies might assert that they have been using the intelligence-led