Criminals Beware: Analytics in Police Department
In an attempt to make the police department proactive and improve city security the Charleston Police Department, South Carolina, USA is using computer software to better identify crime hot spots and prevent crimes before they happen. The department has revealed that it is using predictive analytics software from IBM to detect crime and to better allocate police resources. The analytic tool quickly analyzes past and present crime records and evaluates incident and arrest patterns throughout the city. By integrating the information, the department has improved its efficiency in preventing crimes in those areas.
Working with IBM, the CPD is broadening its commitment to create a safer environment for the city’s residents and visitors by applying predictive analytics software that analyzes past and present crime records in seconds and evaluates incident and arrest patterns throughout the city. Through predictive analytics, the CPD will be able to augment its officers’ years of experience and knowledge and provide them with a more in-depth method of looking at crime trends by centralizing previously disparate information including patrols, types of criminal offenses that are trending, time of day, day of week and even weather conditions. Charleston joins the ranks of cities like New York, Rochester, Las Vegas, Memphis, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Northern Ireland and many others that are taking advantage of technology to establish Smarter Cities. This approach is helping to improve public safety and services for citizens by providing a robust crime analysis system.
The Charleston Police Department project is another example of the enormous promise new technologies hold to enable public officials to better manage their vast array of data and resources. The Charleston Police Department is currently using IBM i2 Coplink technology and is piloting the IBM SPSS predictive analytics technology.
Team AnalyticpediA
