“Before February 2012, I had been working as an intelligence analyst with Suffolk Constabulary for 8 years, and working as a statistical analyst, project analyst and business analyst for the 4 years previous to that within HM Customs & Excise. During this time, I had strived to produce quality strategic and tactical analysis that informs organisations but despite this, limited formal recognition had been forthcoming for the effort that I had put in.

This all changed in February 2012 when my principal intelligence analyst Matthew Bland mentioned that he would like to nominate me for an ACIA award in recognition of my problem solving analysis on Operation Afresh – an anti-social street drinking problem in Ipswich. If I’m honest, I knew very little of ACIA but was very pleased that Matt had thought it was worthy of putting forward for such an award. When I found out that I had won, well it was the most proud moment in my career.

Naturally, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to collect the award (a beautiful trophy and also an unexpected monetary voucher) and present my analytical work in Birmingham in May 2012. I hope attendees gained an insight around how passionate I am about this project, both in terms of what it has achieved to date and how my analysis has contributed to this. On my return, I received much positive internal media publicity, and a nice letter from the Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary. 

I knew that winning the ACIA award automatically nominated me for an IALEIA award in 2013 but didn’t expect to hear anything. You can only imagine how I felt when I heard in February 2013 that I had won an IALEIA individual award for excellence. I suddenly had a contender for proudest moment of my career. The award’s presentation was due to take place the second week in April 2013, the same week as my family holiday. After wrestling with my conscience, I decided to attend and was very glad I did so as this was a once in a lifetime experience and I met so many wonderful people from around the globe.

The conference was informative, the awards banquet was humbling, the trip up the Willis Tower was amazing if somewhat scary, and the visit to see the Chicago Cubs baseball game was pretty dull but an experience. Not everything went smooth in that I accidentally left my suit at home (hence photo unfortunately shows my attire as casual rather than smart), I waited 4 hours to get through US passport control at Chicago airport, and then realised that all US bills did not include tax which left me a little short of money. However, these were just dropped stitches in my trip’s tapestry.

If anyone has the opportunity to be nominated, and the fortune to win then I would highly recommend it. I have only positive memories to go by now.”

[Name withheld], PSNI - “Winning the ACIA award was a fantastic advertisement for the analysis, myself and my colleagues produce and the positive impact of analysis on Policing business if implemented correctly. The recognition provided a platform for analysis to become an even more integrated and necessary component of efficient Policing.

The progression to winning the IALEIA award and traveling to Chicago, USA to receive the award was an unexpected bonus. The conference itself was very well organised and professional and a rather glamorous affair with much pomp and ceremony! Talks and workshops were wide and varied with speakers of the highest calibre and a much welcomed emphasis on transferring theory into practical Policing.

On a personal basis I found both award ceremonies to be a valuable experience for myself and the highlight of my career is far. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with international peers and come away knowing you are part of a large and knowledgeable community thanks to the ongoing efforts of ACIA and IALEIA.”

Gary Williamson and Sue Budworth (Norfolk Constabulary) won the IALEIA Professional Service Award in San Diego for their collaboration on Op Penguin (a burglary series involving eleven police forces across the UK to which the offender pleaded guilty, receiving an eleven year sentence). Gary and Sue integrated analytical techniques into both the investigative and intelligence functions to identify the offender. They cultivated the use of new datasets through the innovative use of "Tracesmart", a system relatively unknown to policing at that time. Tracesmart provided the missing link for the investigation in terms of showing how the offender selected his victims and also left an evidence trial that could be cross-matched with his mobile phone activity records.