Building an Intelligence Development Plan

Why Join the Course

Effective policing relies on transforming raw information into structured, actionable intelligence that drives operational decisions. This course equips intelligence officers, analysts, and investigative supervisors with practical tools to design, implement, and manage robust Intelligence Development Plans (IDPs). Participants will learn how to identify information gaps, task collection assets effectively, and build systematic intelligence plans that target serious crime, mitigate risks, and support active investigations.

Why It Matters

Unstructured intelligence gathering leads to wasted resources, missed opportunities, and fragmented case files. A well-crafted Intelligence Development Plan provides a clear roadmap for intelligence collection, ensuring that enquiries remain focused, legally compliant, and aligned with operational priorities. Mastering IDP methodologies enables agencies to proactively disrupt organised threat groups, strengthen prosecution files, and maintain high standards of decision-making.

Who Should Attend

• Intelligence officers, researchers, and crime analysts
• Detectives, investigators, and Senior Investigating Officers (SIOs)
• Task force supervisors and fusion centre personnel
• Counter-terrorism, serious organised crime, and proactive unit leads
• Operational managers overseeing intelligence-led policing strategies

Learning Objectives By the end of this course, delegates will be able to:

• Formulate structured Intelligence Development Plans tailored to specific operational goals.
• Identify key information gaps and formulate targeted collection requirements.
• Task and coordinate diverse intelligence assets, including OSINT, financial data, and covert sources.
• Evaluate and grade intelligence using standard frameworks to ensure accuracy and relevance.
• Ensure all intelligence development activities comply with legal standards, human rights, and oversight rules.