Comparing the Democratic Governance of Police Intelligence

Gathering and analyzing of information is a responsibility that police intelligence units are thought to do in relative isolation. Intelligence work in the United States and Europe, however, has been significantly transformed in recent years into a more collaborative process that combines the police with a mix of outsiders to make the practice of acquiring and assessing information more democratic. This volume examines how this partnership paradigm has transformed the ways in which participants gather, analyze and use intelligence for security problems ranging from petty nuisances and violent crimes to urban riots, organized crime and terrorism.

The book’s expert contributors provide a comparative look at police intelligence by exploring how emerging collaborative ventures have reshaped the way police define and prioritize public safety concerns. The book compares local security partnerships in both centralized and decentralized systems, presenting an unparalleled discussion of police intelligence not only in the English-speaking world but also in countries like Germany and France, whose adoption of this collaborative paradigm has seldom been studied. Ultimately, this book provides a timely debate about the effectiveness of intelligence gathering methods, the legitimacy of police tactics and related procedural justice concerns.

Because this book situates itself at the intersection of several disciplines, it will find an audience in multiple fields. Its diverse readership includes scholars and students of policing and security studies in law schools and criminal justice programs, as well as political science and sociology departments. Other significant audiences will include professionals and researchers in comparative law and comparative criminal procedure, in addition to the study of law and society.