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Police Intelligence Vs Federal Intelligence

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The field of law enforcement all retain a common purpose: to protect citizens and enforce the laws passed at the local, state and federal level of government. In order to achieve this common goal, law enforcement agencies, regardless of size, must have the capacity to understand the importance of intelligence collection, analysis, and intelligence sharing. Each agency, from the lowest to the highest level, must establish a systematic mechanism to receive and process intelligence as well as to report and share critical information with other law enforcement agencies. In this paper, we will discuss some of the similarities and differences of federal, state and local law enforcement intelligence activities and why these deviations exist, as well …show more content…

It is very important that each echelon understands one another limitations and roles and responsibilities in the greater scheme of domestic and national intelligence. Despite increased communication between local law enforcement and federal intelligence agencies, problems can arise relating to coordination and cooperation because the two communities possess different rules, objectives, different sources and methods, and different standards regarding the quality of intelligence they collect (Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, …show more content…

SLTs generally gather intelligence to build a case upon which criminals can be prosecuted and sent to jail. Because of this, the intelligence information must be unclassified, but reliable and accurate enough to establish proof beyond a reasonable doubt within a courtroom (Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, 1996). Federal intelligence agencies in stark contrast, while in criminal cases within the United States they may share similar facets to their SLT counterparts, federal intelligence agencies collect intelligence to simply develop an understanding of an issue, not necessarily in preparation for an action. Unlike SLT intelligence, much of this data may be of questionable reliability and obtained only on the understanding that it will not become public knowledge. The collected information is reviewed and evaluated by intelligence collectors and analysts who gauge its reliability and accuracy (Carter, 2012). These differences also extend the individuals that the intelligence is being gathered on. As stated above, from a federal level, individuals are more likely to be involved in activities abroad, though they may impact the United States in one way or another. Often many of these difference and limitations are driven by the respective budget and manpower of each agency. Because of the federals macro view, its resources, and therefore budget and personnel

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