Background

The National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan (NCISP) is regarded as the blueprint for U.S. law enforcement administrators to follow when building or enhancing an intelligence function.  The NCISP contains 28 recommendations vetted by law enforcement officials and subject matter experts from local, state, tribal, and federal agencies, including suggested minimum standards for intelligence analysis.  Although the NCISP is U.S.-based, it is the most practical, current model of professional best practices and standards for broad application to analyst certification.  Several guidance documents related to analysis training and analyst certification standards have been developed that reinforce the NCISP recommendation. 

At the direction of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Global Justice Information Sharing Initiative (Global) Intelligence Working Group (GIWG), IALEIA published the Law Enforcement Analytic Standards booklet in 2004 and revised it in 2012.
 
The Law Enforcement Analytic Standards booklet contains 24 recommended analytic standards.  The first eight (8) relate to analysts or those who fill the analytic function to include:  analytic attributes, education, basic training, continuing education/advanced training, professional development, certification, professional liaison, and leadership.  The certification recommended standard specifically states:
 
“Analysts should be certified by completing a program specifically developed for intelligence analysts, provided and certified by an agency or organization (governmental, professional association, or institution of higher learning).  Such analytic certification programs shall reflect practitioner experience, education, training, knowledge of adult instructional techniques, and proficiency testing.” (IALEIA, 2012:9)
 
Similar qualitative needs were previously addressed by the Society of Certified Criminal Analysts (SCCA), founded in 1990.  Many of the SCCA founders were also instrumental in launching IALEIA.  Since its inception, SCCA established professional standards and created an internationally recognized professional certification program for analysts.  In 2006, the SCCA program formally merged with IALEIA and came under the administrative responsibility of the Professional Standards Director.
 
The IALEIA Certification Committee adopted these training and professionalism standards recommendations as a guide to provide a uniform and broadly accepted standards upon which to base the IALEIA Professional Certification Program.