About
Inquiro Intelligence was founded by Gareth Wilkinson, a former police officer with almost two decades of experience in investigations and open-source intelligence.
His work within Merseyside Police’s Digital Media Intelligence Unit involved supporting major investigations and developing operational approaches for the structured use of open-source intelligence.
The experience gained through this work shaped Gareth’s approach to open-source investigations and the philosophy behind Inquiro Intelligence.
Investigative Methodology in the Digital Information Environment
Open-source intelligence is now an essential component of modern investigations. Vast quantities of information about individuals, organisations, and events are now publicly accessible online.
However, the availability of information does not automatically produce reliable understanding. The digital information environment is complex, fast-moving, and increasingly influenced by misinformation, disinformation, and manipulated media.
This belief sits at the centre of Inquiro Intelligence.
Professional Background
Gareth Wilkinson spent almost nineteen years working within policing, specialising in open-source intelligence from 2014 onwards. He served within Merseyside Police’s Digital Media Intelligence Unit, a dedicated team responsible for conducting open-source investigations in support of operational policing.
The unit is widely recognised as one of the leading dedicated OSINT teams within UK policing and was awarded Internet Intelligence & Investigations (III) Team of the Year at the National Internet Intelligence & Investigations Conference 2025, where Gareth was also Highly Commended in the III Person of the Year category.
Within the unit Gareth developed investigative methodologies and operational practices for open-source investigations and later served as Senior Practitioner from 2017 and Sergeant from 2021.
During this time he led open-source intelligence work across a wide range of complex investigations and major incidents, including:
the Liverpool Women’s Hospital bombing
the Southport stabbing murders and associated disorder
major County Lines drug operations
complex fraud investigations
serious sexual offence investigations
human trafficking operations
large-scale public order events including the Grand National protests
These investigations required rapid and accurate analysis of open-source information where investigative conclusions could have immediate real-world consequences. This operational experience has shaped Gareth’s approach to open-source intelligence, emphasising structured methodology, rigorous verification, and disciplined analytical reasoning.
Experience in Open-Source Intelligence
Gareth has worked with open-source intelligence during a period in which the digital information environment has undergone significant change.
During this time he helped develop investigative methodologies, operational structures, and working practices for OSINT teams within Merseyside Police and provided advice to other police forces developing their own open-source intelligence capability.
His work has included supporting major investigations, advising on investigative processes, and helping establish procedures for the structured use of open-source intelligence within policing.
Gareth is also a full member of the Chartered Institute of Information Security, where he acts as an assessor and interviewer for new applicants.
Training and Knowledge Sharing
For more than a decade Gareth has delivered training relating to open-source intelligence, intelligence analysis, and operational security.
His training experience includes delivering instruction to:
Senior Investigating Officers
investigators and intelligence officers
detectives and police staff
new recruits and special constables
cadets and partner organisations
Training has been delivered across policing, regional partner organisations, and specialist investigative teams.
Gareth has also delivered sessions for organisations including:
the National Crime Agency
Regional Organised Crime Units
UK police forces
the College of Policing
In addition to operational training, Gareth has delivered lectures and presentations on intelligence and open-source investigations at several universities, including:
University of Liverpool
Liverpool John Moores University
Edge Hill University
He has also presented at major professional conferences including:
the National Intelligence Conference
the National Internet Intelligence & Investigations Conference
Across his career Gareth has trained more than five hundred professionals in the use of open-source intelligence.
Academic Background and Research Interests
Gareth studied Law (LLB) at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
His academic interests have focused on the relationship between technology and criminality. During postgraduate study he explored issues surrounding computer-related fraud and deception, examining how emerging digital behaviours interact with legal frameworks.
His research interests continue to focus on how individuals share and interpret information online, particularly the growth of social media and influencer culture and the impact these trends have on the reliability of information available in open-source environments.
Founding Inquiro Intelligence
Inquiro Intelligence was founded with a clear purpose: to promote a professional, disciplined approach to open-source investigations. Much OSINT training focuses heavily on tools and techniques. While tools can assist investigators in locating information, they do not by themselves produce reliable intelligence.
Effective open-source investigations require tradecraft.
They require investigators to understand why they are conducting particular lines of enquiry, how information should be verified, and how conclusions should be supported by evidence.
Gareth founded Inquiro Intelligence to help ensure that open-source intelligence is conducted with the same level of professional rigour expected in any other investigative discipline.
The aim is not simply to teach people how to find information online, but to develop an investigative mindset capable of interpreting information responsibly and producing intelligence that can withstand scrutiny.
Investigative Philosophy
The modern digital environment is often described as a post-truth landscape, where information may be incomplete, manipulated, or presented without context. In this environment, professional open-source intelligence must be grounded in investigative discipline.
Gareth’s approach to OSINT is built on several core principles:
investigations should be conducted with a clear investigative mindset
methodology should be transparent and defensible
information captures must preserve both content and context
analytical conclusions must remain open to scrutiny and challenge
When applied correctly, these principles ensure that open-source intelligence is not simply information gathered from the internet, but reliable insight capable of supporting real-world decisions.
Inquiro Intelligence
The work delivered through Inquiro Intelligence reflects these principles.
Through professional training and specialist consultancy, the organisation supports investigators, analysts, and organisations seeking to develop the capability required to operate confidently in the modern information environment.
At the centre of this work is the Inquiro Intelligence Model, a structured framework designed to ensure that open-source investigations are conducted with discipline, transparency, and analytical rigour.