Chief Intelligence Officer
Responsible for managing the intelligence department in its various facets, the Chief Intelligence officer often assists the Strategic Operations Officer with information gathering and analysis, and then acts as a channel of information to the CO and bridge crew during combat situations. The Chief Intelligence Officer will liaise closely with Starfleet Intelligence and is issued orders to only disclose information that passes through these channels on a need-to-know basis.
The actual role carried out by an intelligence officer varies depending on his or her posting and their specific assignment. Officers of the foreign intelligence arm of Starfleet may spend much of their careers abroad. Officers of domestic intelligence arms are responsible for counter-terrorism, counter-espionage, counter-proliferation and the detection and prevention of serious organised crime within their own regions.
Responsibilities which are common to most intelligence officers include compiling and analysing intelligence to determine the identities, intentions, capabilities and activities of hostile individuals or groups, and planning or enacting the necessary steps to disrupt or prevent such activities.
Sources of Information
Intelligence officers make use of a variety of sources of information, including but not limited to;
- Open source information (e.g. Internet, libraries, newspapers, etc.)
- Eavesdropping or communication systems tapping
- Interception of communications (signals intelligence)
- Surveillance
- Covert humanoid intelligence sources (agents or moles)
- Co-operation and sharing of information with other intelligence agencies
- Interrogation