TOEX Scan Assist: Helping Police Analysts Make Sense of Intelligence More Efficiently
Police forces handle vast amounts of information every day - reports from officers, intelligence submissions, and updates connected to ongoing investigations. Making sense of all this information accurately and quickly is essential to keeping communities safe.
This month, the Tackling Organised Exploitation (TOEX) Programme has launched Scan Assist, a new digital tool designed to help police intelligence analysts work more effectively with large volumes of written intelligence.
And the good news is that Scan Assist is now available nationally to UK police forces, free of charge, through the secure TOEX Capabilities Environment.
Why Scan Assist Was Created?
Behind every major policing decision are analysts who review and interpret intelligence reports. These reports often describe people, vehicles, locations, and incidents in free‑text form, meaning valuable information can be difficult to connect across thousands of separate documents.
In a single week, one police intelligence system can receive many thousands of new reports. Analysts are expected to read them, remember key details, spot links across time and geography, and brief officers and leaders accurately.
Scan Assist was created to support this work - not replace it - by helping analysts organise information more clearly and reduce the sheer mental load involved.
Turning Text into Usable Insights
Scan Assist allows analysts to upload intelligence reports in a simple, standard format. Once uploaded, the tool:
- Identifies key references such as people, vehicles, locations, and online identifiers
- Groups related reports together
- Presents the information through clear dashboards, maps, and connection views
This makes it easier for analysts to see how different pieces of information relate to one another - something that would otherwise take significant time and effort.
Importantly, Scan Assist does not make decisions or judgments. It simply helps human analysts navigate information more efficiently so they can apply their professional expertise.
Supporting Better, Faster Analysis
(N.B. the information displayed in the visualisation example below is based on entirely false data and is not linked to any criminality or risk).
By bringing related information together, Scan Assist helps analysts:
- Spot patterns they might otherwise miss
- Understand the wider context around individuals or activity
- Prepare briefings and reports more efficiently
The tool also allows information to be exported for use to either Excel (for an instant scanning spreadsheet) or i2 Analyst's Notebook for full network chart visualisation of everything at once.
Built With Responsibility in Mind
Scan Assist was developed collaboratively with police analysts and has been tested throughout its development. It operates within existing policing rules around data access, use, and security, and all analysis remains firmly under human control.
The aim is simple: give analysts better tools so they can focus on protecting the public more effectively.
Positive feedback from early adopters of Scan Assist technology has included:
Now Available Across UK Policing
Scan Assist is now live within the TOEX Capabilities Environment and available to participating UK police forces.
Training sessions and professional development inputs are also being offered to ensure teams use the tool confidently and appropriately. To find out more and arrange, please contact the team via: [email protected].