1. Assignment 1: Predictive Police
Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:
1. Compare and contrast the application of information technology (IT) to optimize police
departments‟ performance to reduce crime versus random patrols of the streets.
As the technology start growing every department is beneficial with using technology to
reduce task and do advanced search. Before application of information technology random
patrols of the streets was necessary. To do patrols police have to be physically there by selecting
random location. Sometimes this will take more time of patrols in unnecessary areas. The
technology helps them to identify the areas that need more attention. Once they identified the
target they send more resources to those target areas. This helped reduced crime because the
police now hasmore time to focus on these targeted areas. Sharing the information with deferent
departments in a timely manner also help other departments to be aware of what‟s going on in
different areas.
2. Describe how COMPSTAT, as an information system (IS), implements the four (4) basic
IS functions:
Description of COMPSTAT- is a data analysis system to anticipate high crime areas to
decrease crime rate in different areas and increase predictive policing. According to
Pearsallapredictive policing is taking data from different foundations, examining them and then
using the outcomes to antedate, avert and react more efficiently to upcoming misconduct.
(Persall, 2010)
a. Input – What data is being put into the system?
First and for most an assessment team will be sent to the location to observe and
interview the police officers and supervisors. This team also will evaluate existing data system to
2. see if they need any software and technicalupgrading is needed. They analyze the organizational
structure how it is relate to ComStat. Investigate crime analysis techniques with dissemination of
important information. Analyze crime mapping skills. After the examining the department‟s
process they are going to come up with department-specific plan tailored to implement a new
CompStat program or improve an existing one. For the most part the plan includes importing
crime data from other agencies, introductory guides and manuals.
Once everything is set up the department start inputting call to 911 officer dispatched in
to Computer aided Dispatch (CAD). The CAD will be transferred to the Record Management
System (RMS). An officer that appears at the scene will write a detail report. The report gets
audited to make sure it‟s a report that is easy to understand. Both the police report and the RMS
will be entered in to the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data in logical order, and accumulated in
to a comprehensible order. This report is send to a division who assembles the elegance and
layout.
b. Processing – How is this data being processed by the system?
There are two different part of the processing system. The first is to capture calls and incident
report data using CAD and RMS system. These system produce Compstat book to produce the
report. This data should be collected in chronological order with easy-to-read format. Gathering
and investigating the data is made easy by desktop software applications that have a suite
ofproducts such as worksheets, databases, and word processing programs all in one. This,
combinedwith the use of distinctivearithmetical programs for more multifacetedexamination, is
first-rate for datadecline. The most important part is to arrange the data for the commander
rapidly understood and appreciated. The second part the descriptive data is to build relationship
3. between two or more crimes. These statistics enable crime analysts to quantify the strength and
direction of a relationship. This data will help unravel and expose the associates between crimes.
c. Output – What information will you get from the processed data?
The data will help the department to recognize the areas need more attention and patterns
of crime in a certain areas. Since the description of the report from the previous crime will be
listed on the data when police are doing patrolling in the “hot” areas they will be looking for the
person that matches the description. It helps the department to develop strategies to crime
control. This data also help to evaluate their commanders. The report is going to show who did
the robberies investigation and how often was that commander on duty when similar things
occur.
d. Feedback – How are you going to use this information and what will be the desired
outcome from its use?
The COMPSTAT system so far has a positive outcome. This system helped the police
department to become more efficient. It is helping different department to work together by
sharing information. The community is getting involved more now that they are seeing the crime
rate is reducing in their area. The system provide valid information for the police to protect the
community by assigning more officers to the “hot spots”. The description of the information they
gather is more detail so it is helping the police to identify the criminals easily. Any connection
between other crimes is being identified easily.
3. Determine how information systems have allowed police departments that implement
tools such as COMPSTAT to respond to crime faster.
Information system will allow the police to know the patterns of a crime and time that
have been occurring in a given area. Studies shows that criminals most of the time will go back
4. and comet a crime for a second or their time the same place they have mitted their first
successful crime (Shurkin, 2011). For example, if a robber successfully breaks into a shop at
2:00 A.M. in a certain area because the store doesn‟t have alarm system set up and surveillance
camera, the criminal will use that experience to do it again to another store in the same area
around the same time. Using this kind of information the police have better idea of which area
are “hot spot” and they should be on the lookout then assign more police officers to patrol. Since
the police has almost full information of crime before it even occurs they appear at the “hot spot”
and see if there is any subspecies‟ activity during that time. Without the Information system
4. Apply the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis (SWOT analysis) on
behalf of police departments that intend to implement predictive policing.
http://www.duluthmn.gov/police/pdf%20files/2011%20Police%20Business%20Plan_1.pdf
Strength
Helped the department to create clear mission statement guide to the
department.Partnership between different departments the county police with traffic
controls.Committed and dedicated staffs because of the result they see on what they are doing on
day to day work. Cross training and meeting with different department of low enforcement to
have better understanding of the process. The community start supporting because of the
improvement they are witnessing in their neighborhood and communication.Invest on new
technology to stay most up to date with the technology and secure the system.
Weakness
Having a new system decreases the hiring process because new officers have to go
through additional training on the system to get familiar with the new system. This limits the
5. actively decreases training chances. Eliminate some positions because of the advanced data
entries. The budget is mostly spent on the new upgrading system, than sufficient project and
other trainings.
Opportunities
Opens more door for intensification and expand relationship with local law enforcements
and federal state. It improvedcivilianconnection through advising board. Helps to build
community provision to allow the subdivision to growthof capital, more employmentopportunity,
and upgrading facilities. By involving more other community means private and public, nonprofit for superior problem solving. Technological developmentbecame accessible to aid in the
processes.
Threats
In some areas staffing hasn‟t increase yet the work load had doubled. Need to compete
for other city capitals like snowplowing sometimes stalls the department‟s priorities and leaves
staff frustrated. It is difficult to track the progress with the planning and leadership development.
The system increased necessity and decrease control over resources. High expectation from the
public to deliver non-law enforcement services.
5. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar
Websites do not qualify as quality resources. You may use the resources above or others
of your choosing.
References:
6. Goode, E. (2011, August 15). Sending the police before there‟s a crime. Retrieved
from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/16/us/16police.html
Pearsall, B. (2010, May). Predictive policing: The future of law enforcement? National
Institute of Justice Journal, 266. Retrieved from
http://www.nij.gov/nij/journals/266/predictive.htm
Predictive Policing Symposium (2010). Retrieved from
http://www.nij.gov/nij/topics/law-enforcement/strategies/predictivepolicing/symposium/welcome.htm
Shurkin, J. N. (2011, September 13). Santa Cruz cops experiment with „predictive
policing‟. Retrieved from http://idealab.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/09/santa-cruzcops-experiment-with-predictive-policing.php
Willis, J. J., Mastrofski, S. D., &Weisburd, D. (2003). Compstat in practice: An indepth analysis of three cities. Police Foundation. Retrieved from
http://www.policefoundation.org/pdf/compstatinpractice.pdf
