Tactical intelligence is a crucial component in the military and law enforcement sectors. It refers to the collection and analysis of information that can be used to make decisions in the moment or on a short-term basis. Synonyms for this term include operational intelligence, situational awareness, and battlefield intelligence. Other related terms are strategic intelligence, which predicts long-term trends, and human intelligence, which comes from sources such as interrogation and informants. Regardless of the specific term used, the importance of timely, accurate intelligence cannot be underestimated in any situation where decisions may have critical consequences.