Intelligence & Information models: Introduction 

The Intelligence Model set out in this Toolkit should deliver specific key benefits:

• Effective strategies and better tactical choices. This will help promote more efficient tasking and deployment of resources leading to better value for money as the most important priorities can be tackled first.
  
• Understanding of local problems and potential solutions. The requirements of the Crime and Disorder Act can be more accurately met as problems can be more comprehensively described and assessed.
  
• Compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. The techniques and disciplines set out within this Toolkit are based on the National Intelligence Model developed by the National Criminal Intelligence Service and help to establish the principles of ‘proportionality’ and ‘necessity’
  
• Flexibility to be applied to a whole range of problems confronting agencies.
  

Underpinning the model are the use of analytical techniques and products. The importance of analysis cannot be overstated in producing a clear and incisive intelligence picture.

The provision of quality analysts is at a premium and in order to utilise their use most effectively partnerships should consider the use of an analyst on a full time basis to service the needs of the partnership. The effective working of the partnership will not be harnessed unless analysis is deployed to provide the key products to inform decision makers.

Whilst the techniques can be used in their own right to assist partnerships they are more potent when combined to produce strategic and practical assessments.

The provision of good quality information is the life blood of the intelligence model, without which incomplete assessments will be made and decisions will be based on an incomplete picture.

Therefore, the ability to manage such information is crucial as is the capability to identify where gaps in the knowledge exist and be able to seek out new sources of information.

This could be achieved by identifying other agencies who may possess relevant information or to identify within existing partnerships where information can be better extracted. The intelligence model will provide a sound business case for more integrated partnership activity.