Predictive Policing

1. Compare and contrast the application of information technology (IT) to optimize police departments’ performance to reduce crime versus random patrols of the streets.

Information Technology (IT) makes life easier for us today in our daily operations, as the technology start growing every department is beneficial with using technology to reduce task and do advanced search, the police departments have applied IT with aspirations of optimizing performance and efficiency to reduce crime. The term predictive policing is the name given to “any policing strategy or tactic that develops and uses information and advanced analysis to inform forward-thinking crime prevention”. (Predictive Policing Symposium, 2010)

One of the largest IT pitfalls of many businesses is having information isolated with departments, the police maintain multiple databases rarely connected, poor information sharing can hinder and prevent effective analysis and investigation. The police use IT to integrated information and operation, the police stores the data of the previous crimes in a single location for easy access, with database accessibility. IT makes calculations on the collected data to come up with some predictions, patterns and tendencies. Sharing the information with different departments in a timely manner help other departments to be aware on what’s going on different areas.

Before application of information system technology, a random patrol of the streets was necessary. The polices take more time and sometimes in unnecessary areas. The technology helps to get a collective vision on an entire geographical area, as well as, using the data to more effectively schedule resources and develop cities and neighborhoods. The police can identify the areas that need more attention and send more resources to those areas. This is help reducing crimes because now police has more time to focus on these areas.

Police performance needs to be tracked but they also need to track performance...