Predictive Policing

Predictive Policing

In the past, policing strategies have focused mainly on random patrol, rapid response and reactive investigation, known as the 3 R’s. The theory was that visible officer presence would deter crime. Officers would patrol in unpredictable patterns and essentially search for crime. Information technology has helped give direction to how officers patrol. By using information technology, law enforcement personnel are able to determine regular, recurring crime patterns, clusters, series, and hot spots. Providing direction to where and how police officers patrol. This is known as predictive policing.

Predictive policing uses advanced analytics to support information based decisions regarding the safety of the public. Put simply, it allows law enforcement personnel the opportunity to prevent crime and respond more effectively, by making a data based assumptions as to where crime is most likely to occur. Predictive policing supports the 3 P’s of crime prevention, partnership, problem solving, and prevention by using information technology, increased information sharing, and accountability among law enforcement personnel.

Predictive policing also focuses on integrated information and operations, analysis and technology and its link to performance, and agility in response to changing conditions. It helps top law enforcement set organizational goals and objectives by providing data that offers a big picture analysis of the communities they serve.

COMPSTAT, short for Computer Statistics, is a multifaceted predictive policing system that uses information technology in the form of geographic information systems (GIS) along with statistical crime data to determine where crime is most likely to occur. Using COMPSTAT assists law enforcement agencies in accomplishing their mission and goals by combining a problem solving model with officer accountability. The system analyzes the numbers and locations of crimes, arrests, suspects, victims,...