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PERFORMANCE DETAILS: STRATEGIC, DISCIPLINED, INTEGRATED
This segment reviews some of CISC’s programs and activities at Central Bureau in 2008. It provides background and performance updates on the roles and responsibilities of the various branches and programs within CISC.Criminal Intelligence Information Management
A vital component of CISC is the development and maintenance of a criminal intelligence databank on organized crime that meets the needs of the CISC membership across Canada. Criminal Intelligence Information Management manages quality assurance through audit, compliance with directives and maintenance of standards. In addition, there is a Training Section that is responsible for the provision of ACIIS training to CISC Bureaux and member agencies. This section develops appropriate lesson plans regarding query, maintenance and train-the-trainer methodologies, and produces supporting course material. The Branch also manages a Client Support Section that facilitates communication between ACIIS users and Provincial Coordinators, Network Services, Helpdesk and other service areas related to the use of ACIIS. Assistance is also provided in obtaining and providing user statistics, managing user and equipment information, and verifying compliance with Memoranda of Understanding regarding security.Automated Criminal Intelligence Information System
The Automated Criminal Intelligence Information System (ACIIS) is the Canadian law enforcement community’s national database for criminal information and intelligence on organized and serious crime – the only such repository in Canada. Through ACIIS, law enforcement agencies at all levels collaborate in the collection, analysis and sharing of criminal intelligence across the country. The information contained in ACIIS is used to support national law enforcement efforts to reduce the harm caused by organized crime, including:- The production of intelligence assessments which enhance the ability of law enforcement and government to develop strategies and policies to deal with organized and serious crime.
- The development of a strategic approach to operational decision making, priority setting and targeted enforcement activities.
Intelligence Analysis & Knowledge Development
The Intelligence Analysis and Knowledge Development Branch of CISC is responsible for leading CISC’s capacity to analyze and produce timely criminal intelligence. This Branch focuses on the collection, analysis, and sharing of strategic criminal intelligence on organized crime in and affecting Canada. This involves working in a coordinated and timely fashion with the provincial bureaux as well as intelligence and law enforcement agencies internationally.
The Intelligence Analysis and Knowledge Development (IA & KD) Branch is led by a Deputy Director General and is comprised of the National Intelligence Officers Section and the Strategic Intelligence Analysis Section and is now responsible for the development of the Canadian Criminal Intelligence Model (see ‘Future Endeavors’, page 16). The IA & KD Branch leads the overall intelligence process and all aspects of the development, production and delivery of CISC analytical products and services. This includes the national collection and evaluation of criminal information/intelligence, the knowledge of criminal intelligence requirements development, and the establishment of the frameworks and methodologies for the collection, collation, analysis, production and dissemination of strategic intelligence.
Strategic Intelligence Analysis Services
CISC Central Bureau’s Strategic Intelligence Analysis Services is responsible for the production of various strategic intelligence products, including annual release of the National Threat Assessment, the National Criminal Intelligence Estimate, Strategic Intelligence Briefs, the Sentinel Watch List and Sentinel Assessment (part of the Strategic Early Warning Unit), the National Strategic Firearms Threat Assessment and the Report on Organized Crime in Canada. Following are highlights of some of CISC’s product line:CISC National Threat Assessment
The CISC National Threat Assessment on Organized and Serious Crime in Canada is the culmination of an annual process aimed at providing a comprehensive evaluation of the Canadian criminal marketplace. The National Threat Assessment is built on a nation-wide process that collects, collates and analyses criminal intelligence from contributing CISC members. This information in conjunction with research from all available sources including open source, data banks and academia, is used to comparatively assess the relative threat both from existing criminal markets and the organized crime groups that operate within them.
The primary aim of the National Threat Assessment is to assist informed decision-making by senior law enforcement leaders within the CISC National Executive Committee, Provincial Bureau Executive Committees and the Provincial Bureaux. To this end, the National Threat Assessment provides a year-over-year comparison of the Canadian criminal marketplace, a detailed focus on some key markets and a complete Criminal Group Inventory Matrix, identifying all known organized crime groups. This two-module approach allows for the analysis of existing and emerging crime trends and patterns that develop in all areas of the country as well as providing specific, detailed information on established organized crime networks that assists in operational efforts to prevent, deter and eliminate organized crime.
Sentinel Watch List & Sentinel Assessment (restricted to law enforcement)
The law enforcement community is aware that to be proactive, it needs to not only be able to deal with actual threats, but also to anticipate emerging and future criminal threats. With this in mind, in 2004, Central Bureau and its partners undertook the development of a methodology and the creation of an intelligence unit to warn the CISC community about new criminal threats that affect the security of Canadians.
The Strategic Early Warning (SEW) Unit is tasked with collating and analyzing intelligence to anticipate criminal threats over a 24 to 36 month horizon. To accomplish this task, the SEW Unit carries out a continuous scan of the criminal environment – that is, the collection and analysis of information dealing with all the factors likely to have an influence on the evolution of current trends or on the development of new forms of criminality. This environmental scan or “strategic monitoring” allows the SEW Unit to develop a series of scenarios about organized or serious crimes, some of which will be included in the Sentinel Watch List.
For each scenario listed in the Sentinel Watch List, the SEW Unit develops a series of indicators, namely observable conditions whose presence allows it to evaluate the probability that the anticipated threat will materialize. This Sentinel Watch List is regularly disseminated to CISC’s partners to ensure their vigilance and to allow them to contribute to monitoring the evolution of these issues in the field.
The SEW Unit also disseminates the Sentinel Assessment, an intelligence product that further analyses the threat presented by certain scenarios included in the Sentinel Watch List. The Sentinel Assessment allows for a detailed analysis of the probability and impact of a potential threat of national scale. In so doing, the SEW Unit offers the CISC community intelligence that aims to prepare enforcement agencies to limit, and perhaps counter, the impact of serious criminal issues before they even materialize.
National Strategic Firearms Threat Assessment
Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (CISC), Central Bureau, has taken the lead in coordinating a national strategic firearms collection and analysis effort on behalf of the law enforcement community. This effort was undertaken in response to the Investments to Combat the Criminal Use of Firearms (ICCUF) – a federal government initiative that has allocated funding towards the gathering of information in order to strategically examine and monitor the illicit firearms situation in Canada.
The results of this collection effort are reflected in the National Strategic Firearms Threat Assessment which evaluates the scope, magnitude and main characteristics of the illicit firearms market. The degree to which organized crime participates in this criminal market is examined and regional firearms trends are identified. Since the completion of the first National Strategic Firearms Threat Assessment in 2006, CISC has continued to build upon a baseline of known intelligence derived from collected information.
The National Strategic Firearms Threat Assessment is intended to inform law enforcement and senior government officials on the illicit firearms situation in Canada so as to assist with informed policy making and strategic planning.
Strategic Intelligence Briefs (restricted to law enforcement)
Strategic Intelligence Briefs are intended to provide CISC member agencies with shorter strategic analytical intelligence products on organized crime issues affecting Canada. The majority of these reports are restricted to CISC member agencies; however, on occasion, public versions of these assessments are produced and shared via CISC Central Bureau’s website.
A public Strategic Intelligence Brief was produced in 2008 entitled ‘Organized Crime and Domestic Trafficking in Persons in Canada’. The analysis and judgments of the report are based upon CISC Central Bureau’s assessment of a number of domestic organized crime networks that specialized in the recruitment, transportation and coercion of young women into the sex trade. For more on the report, visit cisc.gc.ca.
2008 Report on Organized Crime
The annual Report on Organized Crime is specifically designed for Canadians to gain a better understanding of the threat and harm of organized crime. This public resource document is published in August each year and is intended for the media and public to gain an understanding of the issues and continue to work co-operatively with law enforcement to combat organized crime and its socio-economic threats.
The Report is a product of a coordinated law enforcement community effort aiming to provide an overall strategic picture of organized crime in Canada and an understanding of the numerous ways it impacts the lives of Canadians. The Report delves into the foundations, methods and trends behind organized crime and aims to inform Canadians of the threat posed by organized crime by discussing the capabilities of crime groups within the evolving criminal marketplace.
The 2008 Report included a feature focus on identity theft and identity fraud that alerted the public to be diligent in safeguarding their personal and financial information, and to report suspicious activity to law enforcement and other government or commercial authorities. The section also included tips on how to recognize when one’s identity has been compromised, as well as how to minimize the risk of becoming a victim. The 2008 Report and an archive of past reports can be found on the CISC public website, cisc.gc.ca.
National Intelligence Officer Section
The National Intelligence Officer Section is a component of CISC’s Intelligence Analysis & Knowledge Development Branch, and is physically located at Central Bureau in Ottawa. The Section is comprised of National Intelligence Officer (NIOs) dedicated to collecting, evaluating, and disseminating criminal information used to produce strategic intelligence products for the law enforcement community.
The Section consists of experienced officers from various law enforcement agencies, an attribute which positively enhances the Section’s strategic collection efforts. Currently, the Section benefits from the participation of the Canada Border Services Agency, Canadian Forces Military Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Ottawa Police Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Saskatoon Police Service, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and the Sûreté du Québec. Further expansion of the Section to involve additional agencies is envisioned for the future. NIOs are responsible for a number of functions, such as:
- Improving knowledge on organized and serious crime affecting Canada and developing intelligence capacities by maximizing information collection and evaluation.
- National and international sharing of intelligence through networking.
- Developing and enhancing intelligence requirements, processes and standards.
In keeping with CISC’s strategic focus, the NIOs are actively engaged in focused collection supporting the National Threat Assessment process. Additionally, NIOs produce National Criminal Intelligence Requirements (NCIRs) that are used for defining and assessing the collective knowledge base on specific criminal markets. NCIRs also identify significant intelligence gaps in relation to the criminal markets, and thereby guide the collection activity of the NIOs.
Although the NIOs focus primarily on the criminal information collection process, they have also taken on an additional role as liaison officers with the Provincial Bureaux. To this end, each Provincial Bureau has been assigned an NIO to be the initial point of contact with Central Bureau. As liaison officers, the NIOs assist Provincial Bureaux on issues related to specific projects, portfolios, initiatives, criminal markets and criminal groups.
The National Intelligence Officer Section works closely with CISC’s Strategic Intelligence Analysis Section, operating in tandem to contribute to quality strategic products and services for CISC member agencies.
CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Program Resource Services
Program Resource Services (PRS) is responsible for managing all aspects of human resources, learning and development activities, administration and project support, official languages, personnel and property security, information management and policies and procedures. PRS provides the necessary human resources support to deliver CISC’s products and services. It is the focal point of inquiries and services for all CISC Central Bureau personnel as it relates to their employment and development while at CISC. PRS is an efficient strategic lever for CISC Central Bureau to attract and retain talented personnel, maximize on their expertise, skills and corporate memory and develop succession planning.
Secondment Program
The organizational structure at CISC incorporates a secondment program that promotes joint and integrated policing. Program Resource Services is responsible for deploying personnel from CISC’s member agencies for 2-5 years in CISC Central Bureau or in the Provincial Bureaux as well. Bringing their expertise and knowledge to CISC, seconded personnel work as intelligence officers, intelligence analysts, or members of the Central Bureau management team. They return with enhanced intelligence skills, knowledge and contacts, as well as a better understanding of the need for, and a renewed commitment to, sharing criminal intelligence and information. For more information on the CISC Secondment Program, contact Central Bureau at (613) 993-9061 or visit www.cisc.gc.ca/jobs_e.html.
Criminal Intelligence Training
CISC sponsors and offers criminal intelligence courses for CISC member agencies at various locations across the country usually 4 times a year, 1 course per region: Pacific, Prairies, Central and Atlantic.
The course curriculum varies, but commonly delivered courses offer the intelligence process cycle such as planning and direction, collection, collation and evaluation, criminal analysis, reporting/ dissemination and Internet research. CISC Central Bureau may also participate in joint training with law enforcement partners or member agencies. The selection of candidates and the syllabus are coordinated with the assistance of CISC’s Provincial Bureaux. Participating agencies are responsible for participants’ travel expenses, and unless otherwise advised, CISC covers accommodation and meals.
Strategic Planning and Communications
This section provides leadership, strategic advice and subject matter expertise to the CISC National Executive Committee, the CISC Supervisory Committee, the Director General and the Central Bureau Management Team. The Strategic Planning component provides leadership for the development, formulation and monitoring of strategic planning frameworks. It offers advice, guidance and tools to assist in setting goals and targets, projecting the future needs of the organization, and aligning resources with strategic priorities. It is involved in guiding the development of the CISC Strategic Plan, Business Plan, Corporate Annual Report and accountability reporting.
The Communications component is responsible for the development and implementation of communications strategies, writing and editing services for CISC products and communiqués, and provision of strategic communications advice in support of CISC’s mandate. There has been an express commitment to communications at the management level and this is evident through the recent addition of a communications strategist at Central Bureau, and the introduction of new communications initiatives such as the Director General’s newsletter and a revamped public website. These changes have had positive affects and are viewed as stepping stones to address CISC’s demanding communications requirements.
In addition, CISC Central Bureau commissioned a national communications study in August 2008 to evaluate its environment and to provide recommendations for improving communications with all levels across the organization. In preparing its 2009/10 communications plan, Central Bureau will explore the recommendations of the study. One of the key recommendations is to enhance current communications to Provincial Bureaux and to provide tools for them to disseminate information to member agencies. This will serve to reinforce directives from governance committees benefiting all CISC stakeholders, government and, ultimately, the Canadian public. It will also serve to promote CISC’s reputation and solidify its authority as the national face of intelligence-led policing in Canada.
CISC Public Website
The CISC Central Bureau website, www.cisc.gc.ca or www.cisc-scrc.gc.ca, was recently re-designed to conform to Web 2.0 standards. During this process, there was an added opportunity to align the architecture and hierarchy of information to facilitate a friendly user environment. The following chart shows the number of visits to the CISC public website since the re-design:
* Visits are a metric for evaluating marketing campaigns and Web site growth. It is when a remote site makes a request for a page on your server for the first time. As long as the same site keeps making requests within a given timeout period (default is 30 minutes), they will all be considered part of the same Visit. Conversely, hits represent the total number of requests for files made to the server.
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