Something New for Police Intelligence
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X7905200409 |
| Author | Norman R. Bottom |
| Published date | 01 October 1979 |
| Date | 01 October 1979 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
NORMAN
R.
BOTTOM,
Jr.,
Ph.D.,
c.P.P.
Tennessee State University
SOMETHING
NEW
FOR
POLICE INTELLIGENCE
For
some time
drama
has centered
around
America's intelligence
community.
(It
provoked such questions as: Do we need the FBI
and
CIA?) Responding to the challenge, the Honorable William E.
Colby, former director of the
CIA,
calls for "a new theory of secrecy
appropriate
to
our
society".I
Colby's theory demands areversal of the negative need-to-know
policy. He feels
that
appropriate
political bulletins should be
furnished the American public by its intelligence agencies. Such
political bulletins would serve to justify intelligenceactivities. Other,
related, elements of Colby's new intelligence include aclear-cut
legislative mandate of (permissable) intelligence activities
and
the
establishment of a legislative watchdog committee to ensure
that
the
mandate is respected.
It
is suggested
that
American police intelligence, also, requires
revitalization. Colby's suggestions for national intelligence designed
to reestablish
and
retain public trust, may help police intelligence
units do the same.
There is nothing novel
about
asharing between national
and
police intelligence. Police intelligence derives terminology,
procedure,
and
methodology from national intelligence," An
additional sharing, one which buttresses the survival of police
intelligence units, would be most welcome.
Some
change is required. The kind of tremors which rock
our
national intelligence agencies can
and
do destroy police intelligence
units.' Meanwhile, organized crime
and
terrorism, the tradional
IWilliam E. Colby, "The New Intelligence,"lecture given at East Tennessee State
University, November 15, 1976; and, "Intelligence Secrecy and Security in a Free
Society," International Security. I (Fall, 1976), 3-14.
2e.g., Basic Elements
of
Intelligence (A Manual of Theory, Structure, and
Procedures For Use By Law Enforcement Agencies Against Organized Crime). E.
Drexel Godfrey, Jr., and Don R. Harris (LEAA), 1971. Both authors have national
intelligence experience and training. (A revised edition of this work was issued
September 1976.)
3Gross problems of American Police Intelligence are documented. See U.S.,
Congress, Senate. Committee on the Judiciary, The Nationwide Drive Against Law
Enforcement Intelligence Operations. Hearings before a subcommittee, United States
Senate; 94th Congo 1st. sess., 1975;and same body's Subversion
of
Law Enforcement
Intelligence Gathering Operations. Hearings, 94th Cong., 2nd sess., 1976. The
hearings continued in 1977.
390 October 1979
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