Intelligence Officer vs RAF Police Officer

[Wozzywick]

Hi,
I’ve been told that the roles of intelligence officer and an RAF Police Officer are very similar. Please can people confirm if they are similar and let me know the main differences between them.

 

[Dan_Brown]

IntO:

You will be responsible for collecting, collating and evaluating vast quantities of information to produce actionable reports and prepare threat assessments for current and future operations. You may then brief senior officers, planning or operations staff to influence matters of international significance. You could lead a team of analysts in the management and production of reports and assessment from satellite or aerial imagery, or the collection of complex signals in order to provide details on known or potential threats. Within your first few years you can expect to be deployed frequently overseas in various

RAF Police Officer

As an RAF Police Officer, you will have a diverse role, protecting our bases and aircraft from threats like espionage, organised crime and terrorism. As a policing specialist you will also lead RAF policemen and women and sometimes work in partnership with the RAF Regiment or intelligence agencies.

You will lead a team of RAF Police and security personnel, including soldiers of the Military Provost Guard Service and will routinely provide senior officers with security risk management and law enforcement advice. Although this may sound daunting, your training will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to do the job.

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RAF Police is Intelligence led, so RAFP Officer will manage his/her policing based on Intelligence provided. They are also responsible for providing SME advice to the Unit Authorities. The RAFP Officer works within a RAFP Flight until they specialise/take a HQ role.

IntO will most likely be based within a Flying Sqn - collating all the Intelligence from numerous agencies and equipment and briefing the Sqn/Stn/Detachment Commanders so they can best decide on how to use their assets.

I wouldn't say the roles are similar and when on Ops the IntO role is very busy and very stressful - but i've seen some really good IntOs go onto to do some 'special' stuff and do very well in Civvy St ie Risk/Threat Analysis for Blue Chip companies etc.

 

[Wozzywick]

IntO:

You will be responsible for collecting, collating and evaluating vast quantities of information to produce actionable reports and prepare threat assessments for current and future operations. You may then brief senior officers, planning or operations staff to influence matters of international significance. You could lead a team of analysts in the management and production of reports and assessment from satellite or aerial imagery, or the collection of complex signals in order to provide details on known or potential threats. Within your first few years you can expect to be deployed frequently overseas in various

RAF Police Officer

As an RAF Police Officer, you will have a diverse role, protecting our bases and aircraft from threats like espionage, organised crime and terrorism. As a policing specialist you will also lead RAF policemen and women and sometimes work in partnership with the RAF Regiment or intelligence agencies.

You will lead a team of RAF Police and security personnel, including soldiers of the Military Provost Guard Service and will routinely provide senior officers with security risk management and law enforcement advice. Although this may sound daunting, your training will provide you with the knowledge and confidence to do the job.

-----------------

RAF Police is Intelligence led, so RAFP Officer will manage his/her policing based on Intelligence provided. They are also responsible for providing SME advice to the Unit Authorities. The RAFP Officer works within a RAFP Flight until they specialise/take a HQ role.

IntO will most likely be based within a Flying Sqn - collating all the Intelligence from numerous agencies and equipment and briefing the Sqn/Stn/Detachment Commanders so they can best decide on how to use their assets.

I wouldn't say the roles are similar and when on Ops the IntO role is very busy and very stressful - but i've seen some really good IntOs go onto to do some 'special' stuff and do very well in Civvy St ie Risk/Threat Analysis for Blue Chip companies etc.

Thanks. I had already read the information on the website for both, but you’re comments at the end were useful.

It was mainly the counter-intelligence specialism of the RAF police officer role that sounded similar to the intelligence officer role.

 

[Dan_Brown]

RAF Police Officer, is not the same as a civilian Police Officer ie a bobby on the beat:

RAF Police Officer = Commissioned Officer
RAF Policeman/woman = Non-Commissioned ie Cpl, Sgt, FS and WO.
Intelligence Officer = Commissioned Officer.

The RAF Police Counter-Intelligence role is similar to that carried out by the Army Intelligence Corps, only RAFP carry Warrant Cards and can do the full spectrum of CI duties, where Army can only do so much.

As an IntO, you will set Information Requirements in line with the mission/Commanders intent etc, one of the assets available to an IntO to answer any IR's is a CI team.

But CI teams also get IR's to answer from other areas, so i would say yes, that the RAF Police CI team commissioned officer is sort of similar to the role of an IntO, as they have to piece together all the information and turn it into some form of usable intelligence.

All interesting stuff, but you need to be clear what you want:

Do you want be out and about meeting people and gathering the information = RAF Police non-commissioned CI specialised.
Directing CI teams = RAF Police commissioned officer.
Putting together the information/Intelligence and directly influencing the mission = Intelligence Officer.

 

[Wozzywick]

RAF Police Officer, is not the same as a civilian Police Officer ie a bobby on the beat:

RAF Police Officer = Commissioned Officer
RAF Policeman/woman = Non-Commissioned ie Cpl, Sgt, FS and WO.
Intelligence Officer = Commissioned Officer.

The RAF Police Counter-Intelligence role is similar to that carried out by the Army Intelligence Corps, only RAFP carry Warrant Cards and can do the full spectrum of CI duties, where Army can only do so much.

As an IntO, you will set Information Requirements in line with the mission/Commanders intent etc, one of the assets available to an IntO to answer any IR's is a CI team.

But CI teams also get IR's to answer from other areas, so i would say yes, that the RAF Police CI team commissioned officer is sort of similar to the role of an IntO, as they have to piece together all the information and turn it into some form of usable intelligence.

All interesting stuff, but you need to be clear what you want:

Do you want be out and about meeting people and gathering the information = RAF Police non-commissioned CI specialised.
Directing CI teams = RAF Police commissioned officer.
Putting together the information/Intelligence and directly influencing the mission = Intelligence Officer.

Thanks for giving such a thorough reply. There’s loads of useful information there.