As a crime analyst, one of the most powerful tools you have at your disposal is understanding your command staff’s preferences and needs. But it’s not just about knowing what they like; it’s about anticipating what they’ll need before they even ask for it. By aligning your work with their preferences and keeping ahead of the game, you can deliver reports that make a real impact, save them time, and ultimately improve the efficiency of your department.
Step 1: Know Their Preferences
The first step in crafting impactful analytical products is understanding your command staff’s preferences when it comes to analytical and intelligence reports. Some folks may prefer a quick, high-level overview of the data, while others might need a more detailed breakdown with plenty of supporting data. Some prefer visualizations like charts and graphs, while others may rely on text-based summaries or bullet points.
Meeting with your command staff is essential to gather this information. Don’t shy away from asking direct questions, such as:
- What reports have been helpful to you in the past? Which ones haven’t been as useful?
- Was there a previous report that stood out as especially helpful? What made it effective?
By opening the door to these kinds of conversations, you gain valuable insight into how your command staff operates. This allows you to align your work with their expectations and ensure you’re providing the kind of information they need—when they need it. Plus, it helps you tailor your reports to match their communication style and decision-making process.
For example, I once supported a patrol Captain who was clear from the start that they didn’t like heat density maps. While heat density maps are a common tool for visualizing crime hotspots, this captain didn’t find them useful for their decision-making. Rather than sticking to what I knew, I adapted my approach. I found alternative ways to present the same data—whether through different visual formats or breaking it down in narrative form—so the captain could use the information in a way that was more effective for them.
Once you know their preferences and goals, it’s time to tailor your analytical products to meet those needs. Some commanders may prefer in-depth, technical analysis, while others might just need a high-level summary with key takeaways. Whether they want detailed data, quick visualizations, or concise bullet points, it’s important to deliver information in the way that suits them best.
However, it’s not enough to simply assume their preferences won’t change. Regular communication is key to staying on track. If you regularly produce routine reports, check in with your command staff to ensure the reports are still serving their needs. Are there adjustments that need to be made? Have their priorities shifted? Checking in allows you to fine-tune your work and ensures that your analysis remains relevant and impactful.
Step 2: Anticipate Their Needs
Knowing your command staff’s preferences is just the beginning. To truly stay ahead of the game, you need to anticipate their needs before they ask for information. This goes beyond understanding their report preferences; it involves understanding their ongoing operations, priorities, and goals—both short-term and long-term.
This means staying in the loop about the operations your command staff is involved in, as well as their yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily goals. The better you understand what they’re working on, the better you can proactively support them.
Consider asking questions like:
- What are your current goals? What are your yearly, monthly, and weekly objectives?
- What operations or initiatives are on the horizon?
- Are there any upcoming events or changes in priorities that I should be aware of?
These questions will help you identify key points where your analysis can be valuable. Whether you regularly meet with them one-on-one, attend command staff meetings, or sit in on unit roll calls, staying engaged with their work will help you understand their evolving needs. The more informed you are, the better positioned you are to provide them with actionable insights ahead of time—without having to scramble when they need information at the last minute.
For example, if you know that a specific operation is scheduled in the coming weeks, you can prepare the necessary data and reports in advance. When the command staff asks for information, you’re already one step ahead, saving them time and making their decision-making process more efficient. By knowing what they’re working on, you can better support them and proactively provide the information they need—without having to scramble or get an urgent request at 3 a.m. if you’re the on-call analyst.
The key to becoming an indispensable crime analyst is more than just producing reports. It’s about understanding your command staff’s preferences, anticipating their needs, and staying ahead of the game. By meeting with your command staff regularly, staying in tune with their goals, and continuously adapting your reports to fit their needs, you’ll be able to provide valuable insights that not only save them (and you!) time but also help them make better, more evidence-based decisions.
Special thanks to Breanna Haney, Director of the Upstate Crime Analysis Center at the University of South Carolina – Upstate, for contributing her expertise and insights to this article.