Real-Time and Open Source Analysis (ROSA) - what is it and how might it apply to your work? According to this resource, social media analysis can be an important tool for law enforcement. That said, it can be challenging to find guidelines regarding how to use it and to learn what safeguards should be in place to protect law enforcement's use of it.
"The Real-Time Open Source Analysis (ROSA) Resource Guide was developed by the National Network of Fusion Centers, in partnership with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence's (ODNI) Office of Partner Engagement for the Information Sharing Environment (PE-ISE), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the associations represented on the Criminal Intelligence Coordinating Council (CICC), to assist law enforcement agencies and fusion centers in understanding the lawful and appropriate use of open source information, focusing on social media."
From the guide:
"Consider the following uses of ROSA:
*Detection of criminal activity, including potentially violent situations or threatening behavior
*Assessment of threats to the public or critical infrastructure
*Analysis of suspicious activity reports potentially related to terrorism
*Acquisition of physical evidence related to a crime
*Identification of victims and suspects of a crime
*Natural disasters or other emergency management operations"
The document Real-Time and Open Source Analysis Resource Guide can be downloaded at this link.
Monday, February 25, 2019
Friday, February 22, 2019
The Importance of Networking
Solitary work is reality for many analysts working at the local level of law enforcement. You may be the only analyst in your agency and, often, many of your co-workers do not understand what you really do. Assistance is not readily available. Direction and guidance may be non-existent. In such situations networking is crucial to your workplace development and job satisfaction.
How can you network? Join the main analyst associations, IACA and IALEIA. Join regional analysts' associations. Go to task force meetings and meet analysts working in your region. Go to analyst conferences. Ask questions. Help others. Ask for help. Be reliable to others and you will be able to rely on them.
Find a mentor, or two, or three... Connect with academics. Apply research principles to your work, even if no one in your agency understands that this is what you are doing. Be bold enough to interact with the command staff of your agency. Share relevant white papers evidence-based policing solutions, and problem-oriented policing ideas with them. Stand up for progress.
Get more education and training - be sure connect with your classmates as well as the instructors.
Join LinkedIn and connect with other analysts there. Reach out to them with a message when it is relevant. Ask for help and offer help.
Prepare to add to the growth of law enforcement analysis. Develop a specialty based on your interests and experience. Write an article. Present at conferences. Move the profession forward.
Read this article: How to Network Like You Really Mean It
How can you network? Join the main analyst associations, IACA and IALEIA. Join regional analysts' associations. Go to task force meetings and meet analysts working in your region. Go to analyst conferences. Ask questions. Help others. Ask for help. Be reliable to others and you will be able to rely on them.
Find a mentor, or two, or three... Connect with academics. Apply research principles to your work, even if no one in your agency understands that this is what you are doing. Be bold enough to interact with the command staff of your agency. Share relevant white papers evidence-based policing solutions, and problem-oriented policing ideas with them. Stand up for progress.
Get more education and training - be sure connect with your classmates as well as the instructors.
Join LinkedIn and connect with other analysts there. Reach out to them with a message when it is relevant. Ask for help and offer help.
Prepare to add to the growth of law enforcement analysis. Develop a specialty based on your interests and experience. Write an article. Present at conferences. Move the profession forward.
Read this article: How to Network Like You Really Mean It
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis Digital Library
The Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis Digital Library , which looks like it was compiled by Michael Chesbro, has some out-of-date materials on its site. Despite this, its page called "Documents" includes a over forty (40!) interesting and possibly valuable resources that you can download. Many do not apply to local law enforcement analysts, but some do.
Link to the page here.
You can find my free online 2006 book, Out of Bounds: Innovation and Change in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis, at this site.
Link to the page here.
You can find my free online 2006 book, Out of Bounds: Innovation and Change in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis, at this site.
Monday, February 18, 2019
A Good Summary of "Analysis"
There is a very good summary of "Analysis" at the College of Policing site. What is the College of Policing? "We’re the professional body for everyone who works for the police service in England and Wales. Our purpose is to provide those working in policing with the skills and knowledge necessary to prevent crime, protect the public and secure public trust."
Access the summary at this link.
The summary describes nine analytical techniques - check them out if you need more ideas about how you might add more value to your work an analyst.
Access the summary at this link.
The summary describes nine analytical techniques - check them out if you need more ideas about how you might add more value to your work an analyst.
Friday, February 15, 2019
Selecting the Best Analyst for the Job
Selecting the Best Analyst for the Job: A Model Crime Analyst Assessment Process for Law Enforcement Agencies - click on the title to read this publication.
"Many agencies are not using analysts to their fullest capacity because of a lack of knowledge and understanding of how crime analysts’ diverse array of skills and abilities can support overall policing operations. This publication provides law enforcement personnel with a complete understanding of the underlying capacities directly associated with the crime analysis profession as it has emerged during the past decade, as well as a better understanding of how to assess these characteristics. We expect that agencies focused on these competencies will support analysts in becoming more efficient at detecting crime patterns and trends. Crime analysts equipped with the right skills will be energized to inform the department and the community about crime problems with timely and current data, effective at developing useful products to enhance police performance, and successful at enhancing the agency’s ability to accomplish its goals." ~Hubert Williams, President of the Police Foundation, 2010
If you are seeking a job as an analyst, this document can guide you to prepare for the job seeking process. Be aware that all things will not apply for specific job interviews. This is simply one way to prepare - become aware of what the hiring entities might be looking for.
"Many agencies are not using analysts to their fullest capacity because of a lack of knowledge and understanding of how crime analysts’ diverse array of skills and abilities can support overall policing operations. This publication provides law enforcement personnel with a complete understanding of the underlying capacities directly associated with the crime analysis profession as it has emerged during the past decade, as well as a better understanding of how to assess these characteristics. We expect that agencies focused on these competencies will support analysts in becoming more efficient at detecting crime patterns and trends. Crime analysts equipped with the right skills will be energized to inform the department and the community about crime problems with timely and current data, effective at developing useful products to enhance police performance, and successful at enhancing the agency’s ability to accomplish its goals." ~Hubert Williams, President of the Police Foundation, 2010
If you are seeking a job as an analyst, this document can guide you to prepare for the job seeking process. Be aware that all things will not apply for specific job interviews. This is simply one way to prepare - become aware of what the hiring entities might be looking for.
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Meaningful Analytical Tasks
How can you, as an analyst, focus on meaningful analytical tasks? If you are unable to do so in your role, it is likely because of a lack of understanding around what it is you can do for your law enforcement agency. Often it is because your agency does not truly understand and value law enforcement analysis at the front-line level of operations, where all true change takes place.
If law enforcement managers do not understand your role, you are most likely to be unable to focus on meaningful tasks. You might be relegated to producing automated reports that no one else can figure out how to do.
"Influencing decision-makers is a key component of intelligence-led policing. We have concentrated on decision-making with regard to intelligence managers and senior police command, and detectives or investigators working on specific cases. What is clear from both categories is that there is a great deal of inconsistency within law enforcement agencies when it comes knowledge of intelligence, including how it is produced and how it can inform decision-making. Interviewees repeatedly suggested that those managers with a greater understanding of intelligence were much more likely to appreciate its value and to therefore use intelligence as the basis of decision-making. In contrast, decision-makers with a limited understanding of intelligence were more likely to, intentionally or unintentionally, marginalise analysts, including allocating them much less meaningful tasks."
Burcher, Morgan & Whelan, Chad. (2018). Intelligence-Led Policing in Practice: Reflections From Intelligence Analysts. Police Quarterly. 109861111879689. 10.1177/1098611118796890.
What can you do about this?
From survey results in the 2007 article The Integration of Crime Analysis Into Law Enforcement Agencies:An Exploratory Study Into the Perceptions of Crime Analysts , we can infer that getting front line personnel to understand the value is a missing link.
"What we learned from our survey was that most analysts in our sample felt that management was fairly supportive of their work and that organizational fit was not a problem. However, the analysts’ perceptions of what patrol officers thought of themonly reached the middle-of-the-road level, contrary to the much more positive attitudesthey expressed about patrol officers. Also, most of the respondents in our survey indi-cated that they work in specialized investigative units or administrative areas and havesworn personnel as supervisors. Although these analysts seem to find that that theirwork is generally appreciated, the general level of interaction between analysts andfrontline patrol officers seems to be limited at best and one sided (i.e., analysts seek tounderstand officers, but the reverse does not happen often). The significance of this finding should not be understated, as the capacity to develop effective street-level crime reduction strategies can sometimes depend on the ability of analysts to work with frontline officers to quickly turn crime data into “actionable intelligence."" Taylor, Bruce & Kowalyk, Apollo & Boba, Rachel. (2007). The Integration of Crime Analysis Into Law Enforcement Agencies: An Exploratory Study Into the Perceptions of Crime Analysts. Police Quarterly. 10. 154-169. 10.1177/1098611107299393.
The United Nations office on Drugs and Crime produced the Criminal Intelligence
Manual for Front-line Law Enforcement; it appears to focus on the analysts role and ignores the importance of the front-line officer's mutuality with the analyst. The analyst NEEDS the officers to understand his or her role in order to be effective.
Training officers to understand the value of law enforcement analysis at every level of law enforcement is the key to change.
If law enforcement managers do not understand your role, you are most likely to be unable to focus on meaningful tasks. You might be relegated to producing automated reports that no one else can figure out how to do.
"Influencing decision-makers is a key component of intelligence-led policing. We have concentrated on decision-making with regard to intelligence managers and senior police command, and detectives or investigators working on specific cases. What is clear from both categories is that there is a great deal of inconsistency within law enforcement agencies when it comes knowledge of intelligence, including how it is produced and how it can inform decision-making. Interviewees repeatedly suggested that those managers with a greater understanding of intelligence were much more likely to appreciate its value and to therefore use intelligence as the basis of decision-making. In contrast, decision-makers with a limited understanding of intelligence were more likely to, intentionally or unintentionally, marginalise analysts, including allocating them much less meaningful tasks."
Burcher, Morgan & Whelan, Chad. (2018). Intelligence-Led Policing in Practice: Reflections From Intelligence Analysts. Police Quarterly. 109861111879689. 10.1177/1098611118796890.
What can you do about this?
From survey results in the 2007 article The Integration of Crime Analysis Into Law Enforcement Agencies:An Exploratory Study Into the Perceptions of Crime Analysts , we can infer that getting front line personnel to understand the value is a missing link.
"What we learned from our survey was that most analysts in our sample felt that management was fairly supportive of their work and that organizational fit was not a problem. However, the analysts’ perceptions of what patrol officers thought of themonly reached the middle-of-the-road level, contrary to the much more positive attitudesthey expressed about patrol officers. Also, most of the respondents in our survey indi-cated that they work in specialized investigative units or administrative areas and havesworn personnel as supervisors. Although these analysts seem to find that that theirwork is generally appreciated, the general level of interaction between analysts andfrontline patrol officers seems to be limited at best and one sided (i.e., analysts seek tounderstand officers, but the reverse does not happen often). The significance of this finding should not be understated, as the capacity to develop effective street-level crime reduction strategies can sometimes depend on the ability of analysts to work with frontline officers to quickly turn crime data into “actionable intelligence."" Taylor, Bruce & Kowalyk, Apollo & Boba, Rachel. (2007). The Integration of Crime Analysis Into Law Enforcement Agencies: An Exploratory Study Into the Perceptions of Crime Analysts. Police Quarterly. 10. 154-169. 10.1177/1098611107299393.
The United Nations office on Drugs and Crime produced the Criminal Intelligence
Manual for Front-line Law Enforcement; it appears to focus on the analysts role and ignores the importance of the front-line officer's mutuality with the analyst. The analyst NEEDS the officers to understand his or her role in order to be effective.
Training officers to understand the value of law enforcement analysis at every level of law enforcement is the key to change.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
For Analysts: Track How You Spend Your Time
Time management can be a crucial issue for analysts.
Track how you spend your workdays for one week. Afterwards, ask yourself some questions:
What work did you do that produced the most important results?
How did you waste time?
Did you take enough breaks? Too many breaks? No breaks?
Did you ask for help that might have been available? Delegate, if possible?
Did you socialize too much? Too little?
Were you interrupted? Were you distracted?
When were you most productive?
When were you least productive?
Did you achieve your main goals each day? Do you know your main goals?
What did you do that you should not have been doing?
Did you prioritize your work and do first things first?
What activities were most in line with your work priorities?
Did you plan your work?
Working smarter is better than working harder. Spend some time analyzing how you spend your work days. Find ways to improve upon how you use the most valuable asset of time.
Track how you spend your workdays for one week. Afterwards, ask yourself some questions:
What work did you do that produced the most important results?
How did you waste time?
Did you take enough breaks? Too many breaks? No breaks?
Did you ask for help that might have been available? Delegate, if possible?
Did you socialize too much? Too little?
Were you interrupted? Were you distracted?
When were you most productive?
When were you least productive?
Did you achieve your main goals each day? Do you know your main goals?
What did you do that you should not have been doing?
Did you prioritize your work and do first things first?
What activities were most in line with your work priorities?
Did you plan your work?
Working smarter is better than working harder. Spend some time analyzing how you spend your work days. Find ways to improve upon how you use the most valuable asset of time.
Monday, February 11, 2019
For Analysts: Track Your Accomplishments
In order to be best prepared to demonstrate your value as a law enforcement analyst, start gathering evidence of all the work you have done so far. Then make certain to keep tracking your accomplishments in an ongoing manner.
I recommend putting together a presentation in PowerPoint or a similar program that includes examples of all your types analytical products. Bulletins, timelines, association charts, crime maps, investigative research reports, statistical reports, target profiles, threat assessments - whatever you have done so far as an analyst should be included. Highlight the best examples of your work.
Along with this, start adding to your resume or CV. What training have you had? What certificates have you earned? What have you done as an analyst and professional that might be relevant to your career advancement. Use verbs like "developed," analyzed," "networked," "collaborated," and those found at this link.
If you track your work in an ongoing manner, you won't forget what you have accomplished. When it comes time to present your capacities to those working in your agency, finding examples will be easy. Whether it is for your performance reviews or for training officers to increase their understanding of the value and applications of law enforcement analysis, you will be better prepared.
Start today!
I recommend putting together a presentation in PowerPoint or a similar program that includes examples of all your types analytical products. Bulletins, timelines, association charts, crime maps, investigative research reports, statistical reports, target profiles, threat assessments - whatever you have done so far as an analyst should be included. Highlight the best examples of your work.
Along with this, start adding to your resume or CV. What training have you had? What certificates have you earned? What have you done as an analyst and professional that might be relevant to your career advancement. Use verbs like "developed," analyzed," "networked," "collaborated," and those found at this link.
If you track your work in an ongoing manner, you won't forget what you have accomplished. When it comes time to present your capacities to those working in your agency, finding examples will be easy. Whether it is for your performance reviews or for training officers to increase their understanding of the value and applications of law enforcement analysis, you will be better prepared.
Start today!
Monday, February 4, 2019
Improving Your Crime Analysis Capacity
The January 2012 report How Can Seattle Crime Analysis Rise to the Next Level? examines how that city might improve its analytical capabilities. Unfortunately, it is likely rare that agencies think to improve their crime analysis capacity often enough.
One conclusion at the end of the report is that data should be in the hands of the user, that automated reports should be accessible to the users of the data., and produced by them via better technology. Law enforcement analysts' common role to be the producers of statistical reports will disappear as technology improves and as users grow more tech-savvy (think younger officers rising up through the ranks). Therefore, it is important for the profession that analysts develop higher level analytical skills to add value to policing.
Law enforcement analysts will thrive only if they improve their own, individual analytical capacity.
Friday, February 1, 2019
1973 Police Crime Analysis Unit Handbook
I found the Police Crime Analysis Unit Handbook online recently - it was published by the USDOJ in November 1973. That is over 45 years ago, yet law enforcement analysts still struggle to prove their roles are valuable in their agencies, and many people don't know what crime analysis is and why it should be done. This handbook provides some excellent reasoning supporting the development of a crime analysis unit in a police agency.
Here is an excerpt from page 13 of this document describing criteria for selecting an analyst:
"Criteria for Selection of Crime Analysis Unit Staff
Essential
1. Integrity, Honesty, Personal candor, Realistic about self
2. High intellectual capacity, Alertness, Inquisitive mind, Imaginative
3. Analytical aptitude, Thinks logically, Capacity to synthesize, Capacity to hypothesize
4. Meticulousness, Thorough, Pays attention to detail, Precise in handling data
Desirable
I. Perseverance, Not easily discouraged or frustrated
2. Planning skill, Good manager of time
3. Self-discipline, The "self-starter"personality
4. Cooperativeness, Capacity to work well with others
5. Fast learner, Quick response capability
Highly Desirable
I. Flexibility, Nondogmatic, Broad range of interests, Openminded
2. Special motivation, Draws satisfaction from problem solving, Particular desire to be intelligence officer
3. Articulate, Writes well and concisely, Speaks well and concisely
4. Resourcefulness, The "digger" type,"Where there's a will, there's a way""
These traits continue to be important for analysts.
Here is an excerpt from page 13 of this document describing criteria for selecting an analyst:
"Criteria for Selection of Crime Analysis Unit Staff
Essential
1. Integrity, Honesty, Personal candor, Realistic about self
2. High intellectual capacity, Alertness, Inquisitive mind, Imaginative
3. Analytical aptitude, Thinks logically, Capacity to synthesize, Capacity to hypothesize
4. Meticulousness, Thorough, Pays attention to detail, Precise in handling data
Desirable
I. Perseverance, Not easily discouraged or frustrated
2. Planning skill, Good manager of time
3. Self-discipline, The "self-starter"personality
4. Cooperativeness, Capacity to work well with others
5. Fast learner, Quick response capability
Highly Desirable
I. Flexibility, Nondogmatic, Broad range of interests, Openminded
2. Special motivation, Draws satisfaction from problem solving, Particular desire to be intelligence officer
3. Articulate, Writes well and concisely, Speaks well and concisely
4. Resourcefulness, The "digger" type,"Where there's a will, there's a way""
These traits continue to be important for analysts.
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