Tactical Series Webinars

Register Here

• Most sessions are on the 2nd Thursday at 1400 Eastern, but there are a couple that deviate so please verify dates/times for each session!

Tactical crime analysis is a crucial element in modern policing, providing police with the tools and methodologies necessary to effectively combat crime. It's a frequent, action-oriented process meant to serve the immediate needs of the agency.

This webinar series will walk you through the entire tactical analysis process: from identifying a series, forecasting, tactical products, effective responses, all the way to post-arrest considerations. Instructors will provide real world examples and demonstrate techniques.

Class materials for each session will be added below as the series progresses.

• January-Introduction to Tactical Crime Analysis (Jennifer Zawitz)
• Kick off your 2024 the right way with an introduction to the Tactical Crime Analysis series with IACA! In this first session, you will receive a general overview of tactical crime analysis, along with an introduction to terms, concepts, and theories that will be used throughout the course. We will also cover the tactical analysis process and how tactical analysts fit into various agencies. Real world examples will be used. Keep the celebration going as we prepare you for the upcoming year of great analytical instruction! 
• Class Materials: Presentation
• February-Data Management (Christopher Bruce)
• The process of identifying and analyzing patterns becomes faster, more comprehensive, and more accurate if analysts have regular access to complete, accurate, and timely databases on which they can flexibly perform queries and export the data for use in other applications. Getting to this enviable position is not easy. It involves creating regular processes to access, import, clean, and supplement data in the police CAD and records management systems—and not all of these processes can be automated. This webinar gives analysts the knowledge they need to design a data management strategy for themselves, covering related concepts such as relational databases, database design, ODBC, OData, and data cleaning.
• Class Materials: Presentation
• March-Identifying Crime Patterns and Series (Christopher Bruce)
• Good tactical analysis demands that analysts identify patterns as early as possible in their existence—on the second incident where the commonalities are strong enough—so that the agency can take quick action to quash them. This webinar covers five major mechanisms for such identification: report review and comparison, automated factor matching, threshold analysis, geographic identification, and intelligence-based identification. Supplemental exercises provided after the class will help analysts operationalize these methods in their own agencies.
• Class materials: Presentation, "Learning to Detect Patterns of Crime," "A Recommendation Engine to Aid in Identifying Crime Patterns," Threshold Database (Dropbox link since the website won't allow Access files), Threshold Final (Excel workbook)
  
• April-Overview of Pattern Analysis 1 (Dawn Reeby)
• Mastering Crime Patterns: Unlocking Secrets with Temporal and Geospatial Analysis: Elevate your investigative expertise as we delve into the art of answering the fundamental questions of 'who, what, when, where, why, and how' in crime patterns. Discover essential techniques in temporal and geospatial analysis that will unlock the secrets to thorough crime pattern investigations, ensuring proficiency in critical thinking and analytical skills. Covering essential topics, including developing a comprehensive checklist, sketching a broad profile of patterns, and analyzing the critical dimensions of situation, time, and space. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your investigative skills and gain valuable insights into the intricate world of pattern analysis. 
• Class materials: Presentation, Pattern Analysis Factors
• May-Overview of Pattern Analysis 2 (Dawn Reeby)
• Decoding Crime: Profiling Secrets and Modus Operandi Unveiled: Delve deep into the intricacies of offender and victim profiling, unraveling the secrets behind criminal modus operandi. Navigate the ethical landscape of profiling, addressing biases, and overcoming limitations as you uncover effective solutions for lead and suspect identification. This exploration will equip you to become an effective contributor to the agency, providing invaluable insights and expertise in patterns and investigations. 
• Class materials: Presentation, Pattern Analysis Factors
• June-Introduction to Forecasting (Christopher Bruce)
• Forecasting is one of the most storied and yet most misunderstood processes of crime analysis. An accurate, precise forecast, paired with effective tactical action on the part of the police agency, can end a crime series quickly and decisively, often by the arrest of the offender. This introductory webinar will cover some of the basic principles of forecasting, such as designing and testing a forecasting model, differentiating types of offender behavior, balancing accuracy and precision, and finding the right language to present your forecast. Further webinars will get into the specifics of spatial and temporal forecasting specifically.
• Class materials: Presentation
• July-Temporal Analysis and Forecasting (Angela Backer-Hines)
• Once you have identified your crime pattern or series, the next step is forecasting when and where the next incident will occur to direct patrol and, ideally, arrest the offender. The following two webinars will discuss these forecasting techniques. This session will focus on time – when will the next incident occur? We will cover a number of different calculations you can conduct to determine your likely next “hit” window to provide specific actionable timeframes to focus police response. 
• Class materials: Presentation, Sample Aoristic Matrix
• August-Spatial Analysis and Forecasting (Angela Backer-Hines)
• We have a date and timeframe to focus our officers; where should they go during that window? This webinar will look at spatial analysis and forecasting the likely location of your next “hit,” in other words, creating a geographic profile of your pattern or series to determine where to direct patrol to be most effective. 
• Class materials: Presentation, Simple Spatial Calculations
• September-Criminal Behavior and Tactical Profiling (Christopher Bruce)
• Forget Mindhunter. Most “profiling” is not conducted by FBI specialists but by regular crime analysts and detectives, studying individual crimes or crime patterns, making inferences based on the available evidence. This webinar covers the history, terminology, and tools associated with these processes, which has been variously called profiling, criminal investigative analysis, and investigative psychology. Students will see how to apply different methods of logical reasoning to crime patterns, make inferences, and include those inferences in tactical products and recommendations.
• Class materials: Presentation
• October-Tactical Products and Dissemination (Jennifer Zawitz)
• It’s spooky season, but don’t fear the Microsoft products! In this session, you will learn to create effective tactical bulletins, presentations, and other types of products for dissemination. We will discuss content, formatting, and learn how to stop those things that go bump in the night. You will also learn the tricks of dissemination and indicating protected information, which will make reading your bulletins a treat for your audience. We’re dying to see you in October, if you dare! 
• Class materials: Presentation
• November-Effective Responses (Christopher Bruce)
• The tactical analyst’s role is not finished with the bulletin. He or she also helps the agency with effective response, including research, documentation, and evaluation. This webinar provides sources of information for what works and does not work when it comes to tactical responses. Students learn how to research and brainstorm potential tactics using criminology theories like rational choice and routine activities. Finally, they learn the various institutional mechanisms that can turn good ideas into practice, including the stratified model and CompStat.
• Class materials: Presentation
• December-After the Arrest: Interrogation, Documentation, Prosecution, Evaluation (Jennifer Zawitz)
• In this final session, all will be merry and bright now that the case has been solved! It’s time to wrap things up with the final steps in the analysis process. We will discuss the analyst’s role in interrogation and prosecution. Examples of documentation after a tactical series is complete will be included, as well. Finally, we will discuss the evaluation process and feedback after a tactical series has concluded. Grab some hot chocolate and join us for the grand finale of the tactical analysis series! 

Format & Continuing Education credits/Certificates