The tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police’s hands sparked a nationwide protest in the US. George Floyd’s death renewed calls to address police brutality, systemic racism, inefficiencies in police work, and American policing’s impunity. The law enforcement institution has been marred with many controversies, hence the need for police reform. Law enforcement reforms will transform the culture, policies, and practices of police of organizations. Some reformers propose running police departments like a business to achieve professionalism in the police. Another police reform strategy is intelligence-led policing, a collaborative approach that combines problem-solving, information sharing, and police accountability.
If asked to run a police organization like a business, I would apply intelligence-led policing. Businesses are now using technology to meet customer needs and stay ahead of the competition. Police organizations can utilize intelligence to achieve their goals and minimize some of the problems they are facing. Running a police department like a business seems unrealistic; after all, businesses are after a profit. Police departments do not sell anything for profit as they do not charge the public for the services they render. However, police officers are professionals, and the police department has operating budgets, human resources, equipment, and different departments found in most businesses. A business is purpose-oriented such that all activities are geared towards making a profit and achieving objectives. Police can borrow this concept too; the purpose of the police is to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent and investigate crimes. While making a profit is out of the question, the police department should be working towards giving taxpayers the highest return on investment.
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I believe that intelligence-led policing is a strategy for transforming the police and implementing positive business strategies. Intelligence-led policing is built on assessment and management of risk. Intelligence refers to the information gathered from different sources to understand known and suspected criminals’ behaviors and activities. Intelligence-led policing started in the 1990s when countries such as the UK and Australia began using intelligence to guide police operations. It enables police to understand crime better and come up with the best strategy for controlling crime.
In most cases, police departments have adopted a reactive strategy, which is where they go wrong. The traditional model of police operations is no longer adequate for modern society. Not only does the public demand more from the police, but the availability of technology makes it easier for the police to be more proactive rather than reactive. Police now have access to a wide range of databases, and they should take advantage of this information to offer better services to the community. The intelligence-led policing has four elements: targeting offenders, managing crime hotspots, investigating a linked series of crime, and applying preventative measures. With intelligence-led policing, police officers will be better positioned to predict crime and put in place the necessary preventative measures.
Intelligence-led policing is about increasing efficiency and instilling a performance culture. Intelligence is about using the information to improve performance. Police performance is one area that continues to attract public criticism. The public has complained of slow response time, police violence, corruption amongst other practices. Police chiefs are continually investigating the increasing cases of police misconduct. With intelligence-led policing, it is easy to understand police response patterns and performance. Police intelligence should not only focus on crime; instead, it should also focus on improving policing.
Another way in which intelligence-led policing can improve policing is through better community relations. Intelligence-led policing encourages collaboration with the community and other agencies such as the local council, housing authorities, health, and education departments. Crime is a broad concept with many causal factors. Societal institutions act as “gatekeepers” of crime information patterns, and by collaborating with such agencies, the police will understand crime in a broader sense. Consequently, the police will be in a better position to develop better crime reduction strategies.
In conclusion, intelligence-led policing is not a new concept. Police departments in the UK and Australia began implementing it as early as the 1990s, and they experienced a drastic reduction in crime. Intelligence-led policing is about using intelligence to predict and respond to crime adequately. Many police departments have implemented some form of intelligence-led policing, but the challenge lies in interpreting the data and using it to come up with effective crime reduction strategies. A crucial aspect of intelligence-led policing is working with the community and other agencies to develop holistic policing strategies. The police cannot afford to alienate the community. Police departments that build better relationships with the public get more intelligence, and the public helps the police fight crime. Intelligence-led policing also encourages accountability among police officers and improved performance. Police officers cannot go around misusing their powers or engaging in unethical behaviors. With intelligence, it is easy to monitor, evaluate police behavior, and hold them accountable.
