Intelligence Led Policing: Ethical Issues

Intelligence Led Policing: Ethical Issues
The second important report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary set out
the main elements of intelligence led policing and crime reduction “Policing With
Intelligence” (HMIC, 1997).
Both report accepted the use of intelligence led policing tactics in crime reduction of
high volume crimes such as vehicle theft and burglary which so far had only been
used in tackling serious crime.
The use of information technology was seen as the major vehicle and conduit for
managing the increased information generated as a result of a change in policy to
intelligence led policing. The increasing fear in the community about crime and the
fear of crime, coupled with a loss of confidence in the police, fuelled a drive towards
an increase in private security arrangements. This move is seen in the growth of
private security companies both residential and in shopping centres, initiated by both
private citizens, commercial premises owners and insurance companies.
The desire and practice of amassing information resulted as part of the increase in
the risk society (Maguire, 2000), but increased information and data does not
necessarily lead to crime reduction.
Although the police may benefit from access to huge amounts of statistical data,
some academics have suggested that the impetus for this has in fact emanated from
other external institutions such as health, insurance and education establishments
(Ericson and Haggerty, 1997). The data processed by the police has been used by
these establishments for their own risk assessment purposes rather than being used
for crime reduction purposes.
The recent requirement for the police service to produce annual and other reports
and publishing key performance indicators which required statistical returns was
another fundamental reason for the computerisation of criminal records. In fact some
commentators argue that the computer systems are barely used in the fight against
crime reduction (Ratcliffe and McCullalgh, 1998).
The unease which the police feel about the drive towards intelligence-led policing is
set out in a report on Merseyside Police (Barton & Evans, 2001). This research was
undertaken over a twelve month period from April 1996 to April 1997. It uncovered
that an intelligence-led approach was adopted for all key service areas and not just
crime with an emphasis on the importance of circulating intelligence and focusing on
the role of intelligence-led crime prevention strategies. The implementation of the
new policy was achieved by the introduction of crime management units, force
intelligence systems and a force intelligence bureau.??
In evaluating the new systems, the researchers were hindered because statistical data
standardised across areas was not available. However based on a mixture of
observation and talking to various officers, the researchers concluded that some
areas of the process worked well whilst others displayed shortcomings.
The obstacles to the new policy lay in different officers’ comprehension of

“proactivity” with only limited training offered; no distinction between information
and intelligence; no consistency of tasking meetings whose purpose was to increase
intelligence gathering in each area; the diverting of officers onto reactive
investigations.
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The use of informers is seen as particularly valuable in crime investigation strategies.
In a publication issued ten years ago the Audit Commission stated that informants
are “the life blood of CIA” and have been vocal in calling for their increased use in
the fight against crime (Giddens, 2004). Informants have been in use by the British
police for many years and is sometimes referred to as the second oldest profession
The use of informers is fraught with complex connotations particularly around the
integrity of the information received from them in the light of their motivation.
An increase in intelligence-led policing has led to the traditional police-informer

relationship being modernised and put on a professional footing. The modern term
for engaging with informants is human source capability whereby the police can
capture and utilise the knowledge and skill of those persons in society who have
access to the criminal element within the community via an organised and structured
HSC framework. It has been argued that there has been a dearth in the use of
informants outside the sphere of organised crime (Innes, 2000).

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Intelligence Led Policing: Ethical Issues

The obstacles to the new policy lay in different officers’ comprehension of

An increase in intelligence-led policing has led to the traditional police-informer

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