Intelligence and national security issues in policing

This chapter scopes how intelligence and national security issues impact on contemporary policing practice. The chapter is divided into four sections. First, it defines what 'intelligence' and 'national security' mean in the broader policing context. Second, it provides an overview of the major policy milestones that have defined intelligence and national security issues in policing over the last decade in Australia. Third, using a case study ('fused intelligence' structures), the chapter examines how the worlds of national security and policing intelligence are becoming blurred and the challenges this presents for agencies, including local policing. Finally, the chapter summarises the key implications of intelligence and national security concerns for the general duties police officer, and concludes with a list of six tips for the practitioner that offer practical advice on how to improve intelligence practice.