Information and intelligence have always been, and will probably remain, the most essential components of policing, and indeed, of all law enforcement work. Relying on a Belgian empirical study on the flow of administrative information within the local police forces, this paper generates some reflections on the integration of intelligence led policing (ILP) into community oriented policing (COP).
Firstly we go into the basic assumptions, research questions and research design of our empirical research. Secondly, we focus on defining ILP in relation to other police models. It is argued that ILP is a working method that can be integrated into any police model. Thirdly, based on some problems policemen in the field tackle by using and exchanging information, we propose the metaphor of the
hourglass as a structure that facilitates the information flow in contrast to the more traditional pyramid structure. Finally we want to make clear that COP can be considered a breeding ground for ILP that can lead to a more democratic form of policing.