Posted: February 16th, 2017

When we fight terrorism, we start with street level crimes like drug distribution and the source of the raw material, like Turkish Poppy fields.

Intelligence Led Policing (ILP) was the direct result of the analysis of the after action report of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attack on the United States. The overall conclusion was that the communication between federal intelligence gathering and Law Enforcement agencies did not exist or was territorial and poor (Schaible, 2012). Intelligence is information in its raw form, developed from surveillance, covert operations, financial records, electronic eavesdropping, interviews, newspapers, the internet, and interrogations (Schmalleger, 2011). This raw data is analyzed and distributed as actionable intelligence, once understood and prioritized. Criminal Intelligence in law enforcement is a direction based on quality data and the understanding of how these elements apply to local law enforcement, in order to minimize crime activity among organized criminal gangs, terrorists, and nefarious groups of like-minded individuals. This information is divided into tactical and strategic categories, with the former being related to gathered intelligence, the response to this data, and apprehending offenders, while the latter refers to the changes in information, planning response strategies and allocating or re-allocating resources (Schmalleger, 2011). Fusion Centers developed in response to the commission reports in the aftermath of 9/11 are the facilitation of cross communication between agencies (Schmalleger, 2011). While numbering in excess of 70 centers in 37 states, these centers are not consistent in appearance, equipment or abilities (Schmalleger, 2011). This approach is a blend of military practices used globally to develop information and proactive strategies to prevent crime and terrorist activity with the law enforcement standards of investigation and apprehension (Bell, 2013). The end result is that the world is changing and we have learned that criminal enterprise is used to fund terrorism and radical ideology based groups. When we fight terrorism, we start with street level crimes like drug distribution and the source of the raw material, like Turkish Poppy fields. If we interrupt the money flow, the ancillary activity stops. We would do well to just slow it down. Biblically, in Matthew 24:12 it says: “…and because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” The Bible prophecy indicates civil unrest will be an indicator of the end times, and the civil unrest will be an indicator of the rejection of God’s law. We must follow God’s law and support our citizens with an effort to control the abhorrent behavior of the few, for the protection of the innocents.