New Analysts 101 Webinar audio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Deborah-Osborne/2009/09/22/New-Analyst-101-Webinar Join me, Deborah Osborne, for some tips for new crime intelligence analysts. Some of these tips are things you will never read in a book!

1. New Analyst 101audio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Deborah-Osborne/2009/09/22/New-Analyst-101-Webinar Tips and Tricks to Guide You

2. Things You Must Know Information Skills Uniform Crime Report Jurisdiction Facts Processes Subject Matter Facts Actual Criminals & Crime Groups Actual Crime Problems Available Tools &Technology Available Resources Analytical Product Options Gathering & Organizing Relevant Information Identifying Relevant Patterns Producing Relevant Work Networking & Communicating Prioritizing & Time Management Relevant Researching

3. Uniform Crime Reports

4. Jurisdiction Facts Size (Square Miles) Population (Residents and Day Time) Crime Rate Economy Characteristics Go on ride-alongs!

5. Processes Compstat Community Policing Problem Oriented Policing Intelligence Led Policing

6. Subject Matter Facts Develop expertise in the area you are assigned (robbery, burglary, jack-of-all-trades, motor cycle gangs, sex offenses, money laundering – whatever) Expand your expertise once you master the area of your responsibility

7. Actual Criminals & Crime Groups Who are your problems? Debrief officers, analyze data Who operates in your jurisdiction? What gangs? Organized crime groups? Do traveling criminals visit in fall and spring? Do you have some problem families – not organized crime per se – but criminal nevertheless?

8. Actual Crime Problems Big city problems: shootings, robberies, gangs, commercial burglary, bootlegging Small town problems: theft from vehicles, vandalism, burglary, traffic What does your jurisdiction need to focus on? How do you prioritize?

9. Available Tools & Technology From simplest to all the bells and whistles… simple is sometimes best MS Office is your friend Google maps, Rflow, think low cost Get training – the tools don’t work by themselves Automate whenever possible

10. Available Resources Search the Internet Attend conferences Join Listservers Hunt for resources! Ask for help!

11. Analytical Product Options We often fall short here – just what is it we are supposed to create? Your products should pass the “so what?” test Ask for guidance and advice Produce and show your agency what you can do – they need to see it – they cannot imagine it Spell correctly and use good grammar

12. Gathering & Organizing Relevant Information Not just police data! The key here – learn what is relevant Plan, plan ahead Use consistent data entry Do a time study on yourself to reduce time wasters (surfing is fun but…) Be proactive Revise as needed – don’t just stick with what you have always done

13. Identifying Relevant Patterns You will do a lot of searching and find nothing worth writing about Relevant means it meets the “so what?” test – can something be done about this pattern? Once you find a relevant pattern look for more information about it Keep track of your past work on patterns - some of it will come in handy in the future

14. Producing Relevant Work Is anyone using what you produce so far? Have you asked? Surveys have limits – talk to real people Don’t be afraid to have new ideas for relevant work – this is a young profession – we need new ideas Executive summaries are mandatory The minimum for the most impact The issue of recommendations

15. Networking & Communicating You NEED people Network with your peers Network with officers Network with agencies Network with academia Improve your communication skills Communicate in new ways

16. Prioritizing & Time Management Time is of the essence! What comes first? The top managers must be satisfied Danger is a priority Be proactive during slow times Use the 80/20 rule

17. Relevant Researching Practical is best – this is the real world The Center for Problem Oriented Policing The Police Foundation Your peers Online libraries and publications Internet limitations Pick up the phone Share

18. Tips and Tricks Daily Maintenance Proactive Searching & Collection Say NO Excel Pivot Tables Excel Formulas, Graphs & Tables Making Templates & Being Consistent Find the Workers Ask for Help Create a Support System Creative & Strategic Thinking

19. Daily Maintenance Review crimes daily! Collect data daily and organize it Clean out email Develop a system for filing Create your own databases if needed Streamline

20. Proactive Searching & Collection Look for problems you don’t know about Systematically check for high-threat problems such as sex crime series indicators, targeting of vulnerable victims, and home invasions Systematically check for data related to your prioritized problems Systematically check for other indicators

21. Say No You cannot be everything to everyone Know your limits Ask for guidance on what you can decline to do Have a policy of your own Be polite Take assertiveness training if you need it

22. Excel Pivot Tables Crime analysts love them Any analyst will love them Learn how to use them!

23. Excel Formulas, Tables & Graphs Formulas simplify your life – can be used to make fields such as day of week, year, month… Tables can be formatted nicely and pasted into your products Graphs are as easy AND useful

24. Making Templates & Being Consistent Design your product templates Include appropriate information: Agency, Date, Time, Distribution (LE Only etc), Name, Unit, Contact Info Don’t change things unless you need to change them – it will confuse your audience Avoid information clutter – aim for a simple design

25. Find the Workers Who makes the most arrests? Who shares intelligence? Who asks for your help? Who gives you good information? Who wants to teach you? These individuals are your assets in your organization

26. Ask for Help People want to help you Experts are often accessible Consider interns IT help to automate

27. Create a Support System A network of analysts A network of resources A network of officers A multi-jurisdictional network A network of experts

28. Critical, Creative & Strategic Thinking Reason and decide effectively Invent and create effectively Think ahead and prepare for the future

29. Adapt Your agency has its particular challenges Seek to improve continuously Don’t get discouraged!

30. Thank you! www.analystscorner.com