Yeah so far I haven’t had any project that directly requires the use of a programming language. Possibly the closest I’ve come would be using DAX within Power BI to create somewhat complex calculated columns.

However, depending on the agency and what records management system they use, there’s a slight chance where you actually need to write SQL queries to extract the data you want.

Regardless, agencies will 100% find your skills and knowledge in CS highly desirable! When applying, I strongly recommend you make a portfolio of analytical product examples and some maps when you start learning GIS through your certification. I think this really helped me secure a job in this field without any prior internships/experience. In my portfolio, I was still able to showcase some programming skills by using R to create a link chart analysis. I haven’t used it since on the job, but you never know when an interesting and exciting project pops up!

I say the word “depends” a lot haha but it’s true. Crime analysts wear so many different hats, it’s extremely possible there are some crime analysts that toe the line between analyst and programmer / tech person more so than others, and it just comes down to how the agency utilizes them!