Before 1980, no organization dedicated to represent analytical personnel in law enforcement existed. To fill this need, a small group of professional intelligence analysts and managers held their inaugural meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October 1981. They created the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts, Inc. (IALEIA).
IALEIA evolved as the role of the law enforcement analyst has matured. IALEIA strives to capture the intelligence analysis experience of individuals and agencies and to convert and share that knowledge through law enforcement educational products. To enhance the analyst profession, IALEIA provides a certification program with a designation of Criminal Intelligence Certified Analyst (CICA).
The purpose of IALEIA is to advance high standards of professionalism in law enforcement intelligence analysis at the local, state/provincial, national, and international levels. Our aim is to enhance understanding of the role of intelligence analysis, encourage the recognition of intelligence analysis as a professional endeavor, develop international qualification and competency standards, reinforce professional concepts, devise training standards and curricula, furnish advisory and related services on intelligence analysis matters, conduct analytic-related research studies, and provide the ability to disseminate information regarding analytical techniques and methods.
IALEIA sets guidelines for what constitutes a basic intelligence course. These guidelines are provided in the Law Enforcement Analytic Standards (2012) and the Minimum Criminal Intelligence Training Standards (2007). The U.S. Army Military Police School’s Crime and Criminal Intelligence Analyst Course meets these criteria. Therefore, graduates of this course meet the training requirements for IALEIA’s Professional Certification Program.
Professional Certification offers a number of benefits to analytical personnel through recognition of professional abilities and skills of individual analysts. Certification provides an opportunity for those individuals to engage the professional certification process to increase their knowledge, skill set and experience and to be recognized by their respective employers and peers. The certification process promotes professionalism and leadership through participation, education, and contributions to the law enforcement analytical community. For instance, certification may assist analysts in achieving the required analytical competencies suitable for a career path and/or portfolio. In addition, this process provides employers with an enhanced means by which to measure the competence and experience of analysts.