Intelligence Operations, Collection, & Reporting

Catalog description

This course examines intelligence operations, collection planning, and professional reporting within public safety and national security contexts. Students explore the intelligence cycle, collection strategies, source evaluation, and analytic production standards used in operational environments. Emphases are placed on developing multi-source collection plans, applying structured analytic techniques, and producing professional intelligence reports and briefings. Students design collection plans that integrate diverse collection methods, including open-source collection, liaison-based information gathering, and structured debriefing or interview support for analysts, and they practice using databases and records-management systems to query, organize, and document information in support of collection, analysis, and reporting. Learners also produce short-cycle tactical intelligence products, such as bulletins, BOLOs, lead sheets, timelines, and investigative support summaries for operational decision-makers. The course addresses oversight, legal compliance, and ethical responsibilities in operational intelligence, integrating a Christian worldview that affirms integrity, accountability, and stewardship in the exercise of authority.