Crime-Gun Intelligence Analyst Bella Zak Relishes Role in Preventing Violent Crime


Bella Zak (MET’22)
Contractor, Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

MS, Criminal Justice, concentration in Crime Analysis

You’re working in the emerging field of crime-gun intelligence. What is that like? Tell us about your job. What do you like most about your job? What do you find most interesting?
It is incredibly exciting to work in this field. It truly is growing and advancing every year and I love being a part of that, and getting to see how successful crime-gun intelligence can be when used effectively. In my role, I am able to help identify and provide a wealth of information on the trigger-pullers in the community, those individuals likely to commit violent crimes. I’m able to assist investigators by providing the most up-to-date information on individuals connected to crime guns, whether they were the purchaser of the firearm or the possessor or anything in between.

What I like most about my job is knowing that I’m providing valuable and timely information in an active investigation and hopefully preventing future violent crime, regardless of how small a part I may play in it. I know that what I provide has real value, and that feels good. I find it interesting when I get to connect the dots between incidents and reports because they are tied to the same crime gun or guns, and in turn can provide more connections and links that weren’t apparent at first.

You’re currently working in a crime-gun intelligence role. Did any of your classes touch on the work you do? If so, how?
The class that most directly impacted my role (and even more so in my previous position as a gun crime analyst) was Crime and Intelligence Analysis (MET CJ 612) taught by Professor Shea Cronin . I had no experience with Microsoft PowerBI before taking the course and I gained such a great foundation and invaluable skillset. It was honestly incredibly impactful in me getting my first job as well; just the fact that I came in the door already knowing that program was such an advantage. On top of learning the program, we also touched on how to utilize it to make useful and effective recommendations to a police department, which was so helpful to me. That class made me feel so much more prepared to do the work that I do.

Were you able to use faculty as a resource? Is there a particular faculty member who enhanced your experience at MET?
Professor Cronin was and continues to be a resource for me; someone who enhanced my experience at MET. Since I was only there for a year it was hard to build relationships with a lot of faculty members, but I would certainly say Shea is a great example. He was a reference for both jobs I have held since graduating, and has been very supportive throughout. I was also able to work on a project with a local police department with a small group of other BU students because Shea asked me, and that was an extremely important experience to me.

Are there any specific skills or competencies you acquired during your studies that qualified you for a position in this field, professional designation, title change, or other benefit?
As I said before, learning PowerBI was incredibly important and made me stand out against other candidates when applying for jobs. When I started my first position, the other crime analyst was in the process of learning it, so it really helped that I was already proficient. I also took a course on ArcGIS, and that was also useful in my first job. Although I did learn a lot on the job, it was helpful to be familiar with the program already. Beyond that, I gained experience in speaking to large groups of people, and communicating complex statistics and conclusions both verbally and in writing.

Did earning your degree lead to a different career focus or broaden the scope of opportunity within your existing line of work? Can you share your perspective on that?
There was a slight shift in my career focus while earning this degree and even throughout my first year as a professional. Going into the program, I had my mind set on a job in criminal profiling, but thanks to the coursework I really started to love the data analytics and research side of criminal justice, and decided to shift my career in that direction. I think there is just so much fascinating research being done in the field, and I want to be a part of it and contribute to it.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who is considering applying to this program?
I can only speak to my experience, but as someone who had no experience in the criminal justice field going into this program, I left it feeling very prepared and it definitely paid off. I have been told in several job interviews that my resume is impressive, and that is largely thanks to having Boston University on there. The name carries weight and gives you an edge over other candidates. On top of that, the skills and knowledge you gain really do prepare you for a job in the field.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I just feel incredibly lucky I got to be a part of this program, and meet the people that I met while I was there. I genuinely believe it changed my life for the better, and I don’t think I would be where I am today or be the person I am today without that experience. It was challenging, but so rewarding. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, and I think if anyone with a real interest in criminal justice has the opportunity and the means to do it, they should.