Defending the Homeland: Domestic Intelligence, Law Enforcement, and Security (Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Series.)

Rating:
Summary: The 'MUST Read' for law enforcement intelligence students
Review: Jonathan R. White's Defending the Homeland: Domestic Intelligence, Law Enforcement, and Security is the book I recommend as the keystone text for a Law Enforcement Intelligence course. It is a `must read' because it correctly portrays intelligence as both art and science, deeply rooted in action-making tangible things happen, getting real things done-by reducing warfare to its simplest level and thereby limiting the negative effects of susceptibilities such as fog, chance, and friction. This volume makes sense of how the traditionally polar fields of law enforcement and intelligence can develop a symbiotic relationship for synergistic effect.

Because it is one of the first sources for this argument, it serves as a measuring stick for both policy and operational analysis. It examines the concepts, uses, and limits of strategic intelligence in contrast to operational imperatives. Very little has been previously offered in law enforcement intelligence beyond rhetoric-which are sound as far as they go-such as, `intelligence is the key to the problem', or `the support of the population must be won'. Students and practitioners tasked with, or having previously experienced the responsibility of actually executing missions will appreciate this book the most.

The essence of the book can clearly be defined as delineating the parameters of low intensity conflict and law enforcement; to deduce from them the principles of asymmetric warfare, and to outline the corresponding strategy and tactics.