Ask Me Anything: Criminal Intelligence Analyst
Homeland Humanity is proud to bring you our Ask Me Anything series. Each week, we’ll feature a member of our team answering your most pressing questions about their work in the Homeland Security Enterprise. Missed the question asking party? Don’t worry! Check out the bottom of the post for contact details.
Who am I? SF Bay Area resident, ex-marathoner, spin enthusiast, paleo cook, Hibernophile, wine consumer, contemplator.
Ask me anything:
1. Do you carry a gun?
No. I am a civilian employee, therefore I don’t have the authority to be armed. Also, I would have no need to be as 98% of my job involves being tucked away at my desk and computer. Nor do I have a gun in my home, though I have considered it.
2. Do you go out on the street with the cops?
Not often, but I will if it’s an investigation I’m particularly invested in. However, I have had some memorable moments “on the street.” One time I was in the passenger seat of an unmarked police car in the very early hours of darkness. We were parked down the street from a violent gang member’s house standing by waiting for the SWAT team to arrive and arrest him. I felt I was safe and in good hands since I was sitting next to an armed federal agent. But suddenly, a car pulled down the street and stopped in front of us head on. The driver then illuminated his high beams and filled our car with blinding light. The moment was so still, quiet and slow. The agent pulled his gun out and I thought surely, this gang member was about to spray our windshield with gunfire. After a moment or two, he sped away. I was so relieved after having felt like a very helpless sitting duck. Also, I have learned a valuable lesson that extended periods of surveillance from a parked car are very difficult as a female. The guys have relief options that we do not have.
3. Most interesting case you’ve ever worked?
I spent seven years working on an investigation for drug trafficking and money laundering. It was a fascinating experience because it allowed me to travel and work with many people from the FBI, DEA, and even some counterparts from other countries. The challenges required me to gain new skills, such as cell tower mapping and call pattern analysis. In fact, by the end of the investigation, it provided me with a new direction for me in my role as an analyst. Then on a simpler level, there was the guy who seriously injured an elderly lady as he stole her purse from her in a restaurant parking lot. We were eventually able to arrest him because he used the victim’s credit card to send his mom flowers for Valentine’s day. What a sweet boy.
4. Is it hard not being a cop in the police department?
While some civilian employees (aka “non-sworn”) find police culture a somewhat challenging environment to work in, I do not. Some civilian analysts I know feel that their voice or decision-making is not as valued as those that wear a uniform and carry a gun. Fortunately, I have never felt my role diminished due to being a civilian. I work for a very progressive and transparent department and I have always, since day one, been encouraged to be innovative, to seek ongoing training and education, and to make the best effort to advance my professional development.
5. Do you ever wish you were a cop?
Rarely. However, there are occasional moments when I am not at work and I see an injustice, such as a shoplifter or a reckless driver putting others in harm’s way, then I wish I had the authority to intervene. Nonetheless, I feel like I have an impact on my community from the safety of my desk. I have a real empathy for victims and those who have been wronged. So when I read a police report, particularly a crime against the vulnerable, children, elderly… I make a significant effort to develop any leads for investigators that I can. I search every nook and cranny and go over the details, again and again, looking for some key piece of information that may lead me to the suspect. Fortunately, I have been able to determine who some of these suspects are and when the detectives make an arrest I feel a great satisfaction in having contributed to resolution for the victim.
Submit your questions below and continue to check in to see your questions answered in Part 2 of this series!
Part 2 has been published!
