The College Station Study

Furthermore, evidence-Based Policing allows for the use of research findings to develop those strategies that are best designed to reduce crime and disorder while maintaining the trust and confidence of the public. we serve. Also, police officers should incorporate those research findings into every decision. Evidence based policing does not have all the answers; critical decision will have to be made at during certain times in a split second. Nevertheless, having a scientifically proven evidence-base to support and guide how officers operate, I believe can help reduce crime, keep officers safe and improve relations with the community. Additionally, it can encourage police officers to use proven strategies and methods to improve crime control, community relations, and internal management. Agencies also gain the knowledge and analytical skills, specifically advanced crime analytics, to generate their own

Due to these apparent successes, the problem-focused approach has been used to address a diverse array of problems such as gangs, drugs, school crime and the management of police call for service in urban, suburban and even rural communities. The exploration of possible responses to a problem is handled by police officers. Once a problem is identified, officers are expected to work closely with the community members to develop a solution, which can include a wide range of alternatives to arrest. These may focus on the offender, the community, the environment, outside agencies, or the need for some kind of mediation. Problem-oriented policing grew out of twenty years of research into police practices, and differs from traditional policing strategies in many significant ways. For example, problem-oriented policing enables police agencies to be more effective. Currently, police agencies commit most of their time to responding to calls for service. Problem-oriented policing offers a more effective strategy by addressing the

Hot spots policing revolves around the idea that crime is focused in small problem locales, and that crime can be more efficiently reduced if police concentrate their efforts on those smaller areas (Papachristos & Hureau, 2012). By stopping crime in smaller areas, it is easy to prevent it from growing in larger parts. Activities like patrolling high crime areas and presence of law enforcement officers in the area are performed will reduced crime (Hot spots policing, 2017, What is the focus of the intervention?). “When authors calculated the overall

The Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) addresses the problem of criminal street gangs and illegal guns in Toronto. TAVIS aims to reduce gang activity and gun violence in Toronto through targeted policing in some of the 13 priority neighborhoods where crime analysis indicates chronic or an acute escalation in violence (Siciliano, 2010). As an intervention strategy, TAVIS operates on the principle of geographic-specific, intelligence-led policing intelligent-based policing that targets known gang associates engaged in guns and drug activities who are on the verge of committing an offence.

In 1994, the New York City Police Department adopted a law enforcement crime fighting strategy known as COMPSTAT (COMPuter STATistics). COMPSTAT uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map the locations of where crimes occur, identify “ hotspots”, and map problem areas. COMPSTAT has amassed a wealth of historical crime data. Mathematicians have designed and developed algorithms that run against the historical data to predict future crimes for police departments. This is known as predictive policing. Predictive policing has led to a drop in burglaries, automobile thefts, and other crimes in some cities.

In 2006, Memphis had the second highest violent crime rate in the country. The mayor of Shelby county at the time collaborated with the District Attorney, the Sheriff’s dept, Memphis Police Director and business leaders to try to address the issue (Goggans, 2014). Collectively they created a 15 point research based crime reduction plan. Due to Memphis’ data driven policing initiative, their safe community strategy has helped with the decline in serious crime in Memphis by more than 26.6 percent. In January of 2011, Memphis saw its lowest murder rate in 30 years. Nevertheless, despite the success, violence among their youth is still on the rise (Goggans, 2014).

Beginning in the 1990’s, crime numbers began to fall and and there are many explanations for the decrease in crime. To begin, the police began using new catching approaches by changing aspects such as an increase in enforcement of nuisance activities. Additionally, they began to invest in their technology and started to identify crime hot spots. The hot spots are where crime is found most often but never recognized.

Problem oriented policing is geared toward solving problems. The first step in problem oriented policing is the identification and selection of a problem. One method of identifying, analyzing and selecting a problem is known as SARA. The acronym SARA stands for scanning, analysis, response, and assessment (Cronkhite, 2013). The Center for Problem Oriented Policing has several problem-specific guides for different problems that police and a community may face. The guides cover a variety of subjects ranging from burglary to gas drive offs. Each guide discusses the problem and factors involved and offers suggestions derived from police report and research of the problem (Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, n.d.).

Gun violence is a problem that has been growing in many cities across the United States. It is important for Federal and local Law Enforcement agencies to work together to enforce the Project Safe Neighborhoods and other projects similar in cities and communities where the homicide and gun violence rates are crucially high. It is each officer’s duty to make sure we do our duty as Law Enforcement to provide safe neighborhoods and save lives every day. By placing Project Safe Neighborhoods in high crime areas, the project will put in place and enforce new programs and policies for those who have committed gun crimes and are reoccurring felons. Through the use

The Philadelphia foot patrol experiment: a randomized controlled trial of police patrol effectiveness in violent crime hotspots is an experiment that had over 200 foot patrol officers during the summer of 2009, in the Philadelphia area (Ratcliffe, 2011). This research covered 60 violent crime hotspots in twelve weeks (Ratcliffe, 2001). There was a noticeable reduction in the violent crimes within those area hotspots. Furthermore, 53% of violent crimes were prevented during the twelve weeks of the experiment (Ratcliffe, 2011). In conjunction the type of patrol that was utilized, was foot patrol in the hotspot areas, which was the independent variable. The dependent variable was the reduction

Ratcliffe sampled more than 200 foot patrol officers and used Geographic information systems (GIS) to create randomized controls for crime hotspots. Previous studies had lacked this GIS technology which could be a reason for different results. Results showed significant reduction of violent crime in experimental group after 12 weeks, and when compared to control group there was 53 violent crimes that were prevented. Contradicting

Examining the crime rates following the ‘New York miracle’ certainly lend credibility to the effectiveness of ZTP. Gibbons (1996) noted that burglaries decreased 24%, robberies 32% and motor crime 40% in the two years following April 1994. The overall crime rate was reduced by 37%, with decreases in homicide and violent crime of 51% and 38% respectively (Bratton, 1997). Advocates of ZTP attribute these reductions in crime rates to the use of a proactive and intensive policing approach, situational crime control, rapid analysis of information and heightened efficiency & accountability (Bratton & Knobler, 1998, Bintcliffe, 2014).

There are multiple approaches to engaging a police force with the community in order to most effectively prevent and respond to crime, and considering the relative strengths and weakness of each of these strategic models will demonstrate how models can impact the operation of daily policing practices and activities. The model under discussion here is called community oriented policing (COP), and focuses on building relationships and rapport between officers and the community in order to more effectively prevent crime. It is augmented by a model called problem solving policing (PSP), and depends upon rank-and-file officers identifying community problem areas through direct observation and analysis. Each model excels at slightly different things, and in practice most police agencies deploy a mix of models. By examining the Miami-Dade Police Department's handbook for school resource officers, it will be possible to view a COP/PSP policy in action in order to better understand how these models practically affect policing.

Both Goldstein & McEwen, (2009) and Button, Sharples & Harper (2007) studies agree that crime mapping is effective in uncovering and monitoring crime

The three most prevalent crime analysis methods that are tactical, strategical, and administrative(Wyckoff, 2014). Tactical crime analysis incorporates information analyzed for the purpose of short-term solutions(Wyckoff, 2014). Tactical crime analysis information is usually kept internal and produced on a daily basis(Wyckoff, 2014). Moreover, tactical crime analysis aids in the development of patrol and investigation practices along with deployment of resources(Wyckoff, 2014). Most of the data used for tactical crime analysis devises from police reports(Wyckoff, 2014). Some examples of tactical crime analysis are repeated incident analysis, crime pattern analysis, and linking known offenders to prior crimes(Wyckoff, 2014). Another type of crime analysis is strategic which data is analyzed for the purpose of creating and evaluating of long-term strategies, policies, and prevention techniques(Wyckoff, 2014). Strategic crime analysis is usually conducted slowly and at a deliberate pace(Wyckoff, 2014). The process of strategic crime analysis begins with police reports by is heavily influenced by outside sources of information which can be produced by quantitative or qualitative methods(Wyckoff, 2014). Some examples of strategic crime analysis are trend analysis, hot spot analysis, and problem analysis(Wyckoff, 2014). Lastly, there is administrative crime analysis which deals with management needs(Wyckoff, 2014). This crime analysis approach is very broad where actions are taken either regularly or upon request(Wyckoff, 2014). Analyzing information to develop patrol staffing, districting and re-districting, cost-benefits, and resource deployment for special occasions are some examples of the administrative crime analysis approach(Wyckoff,