During the first three years of the program R/IAP struggled to produce analysis with a lack of equipment. After successfully forging relationships with agencies throughout the Intelligence Community (IC), Mercyhurst graduates first found employment with the National Security Agency (NSA). In 1994 under agreement with IBM Federal, R/IAP developed a national intelligence laboratory and testbed where the tools of the intelligence process could be developed, evaluated and demonstrated. During that year, the program offered to send a student to intern with the Secret Service and Mercyhurst began the process of developing a national intelligence archive specializing in oral histories of former FBI agents with the Society of Former Agents of the FBI.
By 1995, about 40 students were enrolled in R/IAP with four alumni in ATF, Kroll & Associates, U.S. Army Military Intelligence, and U.S. Army Adjutant General corp. R/IAP Executive Director Robert Heibel founded the Center for Intelligence, Research, Analysis Training (CIRAT) as a way to generate revenue for the intelligence program in order to acquire computer systems, faculty, and other resources. Heibel traveled to Dayton to cultivate a relationship with LexisNexis, and was placed on the company’s law enforcement advisory board.
On June 12, 1995, R/IAP hosted 15th semi-annual International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) conference, a four day conference on the topic of “White Collar Crime.” This lead to a formation of Mercyhurst’s IALEIA Chapter, which held its first interest meeting on October 6th. A Concentration in Applied Intelligence was created within the Administration of Justice program, paving the way for the institute’s master’s program in Applied Intelligence.
Expect each year of the intelligence program at Mercyhurst over the next few weeks in short articles and feel free to email James at jcoyne88@lakers.mercyhurst.edu for any inaccuracies or further detail to be included in revised publications.