Which of the following best describes the management style associated with intelligence-led policing?

The management style associated with intelligence-led policing is accurately described as top-down. This approach emphasizes a structured hierarchy where critical decisions and strategies are formulated at higher levels of command. In intelligence-led policing, leadership plays a pivotal role in setting objectives based on intelligence assessments, directing resources, and ensuring that officers on the ground align their activities with established priorities.

This top-down approach allows for efficient dissemination of intelligence and operational directives throughout the organization, facilitating swift responses to community needs and crime trends identified through data analysis. By centralizing decision-making, law enforcement agencies can maintain consistency in their strategies and ensure that intelligence informs their practices effectively.

Other management styles, such as decentralized or horizontal, would imply a different approach to decision-making. A decentralized style might suggest that lower levels of the organization have more autonomy in decision-making, which could dilute the focus provided by a centralized intelligence model. A horizontal management style implies more equality and collaboration among levels of staff, which may lack the clear authority and streamlined accountability required for effective intelligence-led operations.