Brian Mc Grew
VP of Education
We live in an age where the volume of data available to us has amassed to such a degree that it presents a unique set of challenges for law enforcement. When dealing with the huge volumes of data, getting the RIGHT information to the RIGHT people as quickly as possible can be a huge undertaking on the best of days. On top of this, the speed at which our environment demands, makes real-time information sharing extremely important and valuable. Many challenging decisions must be made without having all the information needed so having the most up-to-date data plays a huge role in the outcomes of decisions that must be made.
Most law enforcement agencies have multiple data bases and personal email folders they are using to store the volumes of data they are receiving and producing. Since data is housed in disparate data bases and folders, it is very challenging and time consuming to search and access the relevant data that needs to be a part of critical decision-making. From this information overload problem, a solution has emerged that is quickly proving to be an important addition to law enforcement’s arsenal for making communities safer and better places to live.
Illustrating the Challenges of a Big Data World
To understand just how difficult managing massive volumes of data can be, consider the example of a Special Operations Task Force fighting Al Qaeda in Iraq. In the “Situational Awareness Room” you essentially have a perfect visual metaphor for big data – a dozen flat screen televisions, each with their own live feed of some far off location, rooms equipped with communications equipment constantly bringing in new pieces of intelligence, and data and information portals providing updates and “need to know” information that changes by the minute.
How do you cut through all the noise and find what you’re really looking for? How do you keep organized and manage the various moving parts of a fluid situation while it is in the process of unfolding? How do you process this data to make not just a decision, but the most appropriate decision to positively alter outcomes vs. just reacting?
Big Data and Law Enforcement
One agency that is paving the way in terms of both crime prevention and reduction through real-time information sharing and the human factor is the Port St. Lucie Police Department. Here, a team of crime analysts, agency leaders, detectives, and patrol officers fuse information into a centralized forum to contextualize and prioritize incoming crime data. They organize the crime information into patterns, problem locations, major crime, and neighborhood/traffic that they are focused on preventing or reducing during un-committed time. Crime bulletins are crafted to contain the right amount of information and context. Agency leaders decide on which responses to employ based on severity of crime. Detectives, patrol districts, and specialty units are sent information in a targeted manner where it goes to the specific groups of individuals that are best suited to act on it.
Once new information emerges or the context of that data changes, their crime analysts snap into action. They post in real-time updated crime analysis products in their secure SmartForce™ agency management system for the necessary personnel to review. Officers are no longer drowning in emails, but empowered with real-time information targeted to their beats and roles. All police personnel involved in the response see and participate in real-time data sharing and problem solving activities in an organized forum. Information and activity does not fall between the cracks, rather it is collaborated on through the human factor and more speed is achieved in clearing cases, finding missing persons, and resolving “hot-spots.”
The SmartForce™ Approach
The SmartForce™ agency management system allows an agency to organize the massive volume of information, target the information to those who need it most, and facilitate the human factor of real-time dialogue of emerging information and intelligence to speed the achievement of an agency’s crime prevention and reduction goals. What is even more impressive about this agency management system is that it is housed in a CJIS compliant environment and can be used on any mobile device whether in a patrol car, on a smartphone, or back at the station.
We know that technology does not prevent or reduce crime, officers do. SmartForce™ compliments your CAD, RMS, and analytics tools. But the real magic with the SmartForce™ approach is that it combines the human factor in your agency with easily accessed critical data for higher levels of public safety.
For more information or to get a FREE 30 day trial of SmartForce™ contact us at 303-800-5044 or visit our website at www.adventos.com.
