Enhancing Your Agency’s Data Drive and Unlocking Potential Across Your Force: Session Recap from IACA 2024

At the 2024 International Association of Crime Analysts Conference, SoundThinking’s Marc Meole, Vice President of CrimeTracer, and Brittany Urban, Director of Analytic Solutions, presented on “Enhancing Your Agency’s Data Drive and Unlocking Potential Across Your Force.” Their presentation underscored that a data-driven approach requires agencies to use data for decision-making, reinforcing the need to access the best data, use it effectively, and continuously evaluate its impact. This broader “data drive” concept is essential for aligning data with agency goals to support more effective policing.

The speakers highlighted common challenges, such as data silos, limited data-sharing within departments, and cumbersome data routing, which impede intelligence-led policing. Addressing these obstacles is critical for improving public safety outcomes, especially as agencies manage extensive data streams from diverse sources like RMS, NIBIN, and other sources, including public records. According to the presenters, overcoming these challenges and refining data sources helps agencies maximize their data drive and make informed decisions for community impact.

CrimeTracer Streamlines Data Access

SoundThinking’s CrimeTracer™ was introduced as a key solution to facilitate comprehensive data access and streamline investigative processes. Referred to as “Google for cops,” CrimeTracer combines structured and unstructured data from various jurisdictions, allowing cross-jurisdictional searches that provide actionable insights.

Integrated with Thomson Reuters CLEAR® for public records access, CrimeTracer supports agencies with 1.3 billion data points, advanced link analysis, and real-time intelligence-sharing. This extensive reach enables agencies to identify crime patterns, track suspects, and leverage data from disparate systems for more effective decision-making. A success story from Cobb County, Georgia, was shared to highlight CrimeTracer’s impact.

Enhancing Data Drive with ResourceRouter

Another solution highlighted is ResourceRouter™, which improves patrol management and streamlines operations by leveraging location-based data and agency intelligence, in line with the Koper Curve model of crime deterrence. This tool automates the creation of data-driven patrol plans, directing officers to high-risk areas based on crime and non-crime data. With this information, agencies can use ResourceRouter to better drive decisions for more efficient use of resources.

ResourceRouter’s automation capabilities, including linking active alerts and intelligence updates, significantly reduce time spent on manual analysis by up to 80%. Case studies from Springfield, Illinois, showcase the tool’s success, where automated patrol planning improved operational efficiency and enabled agencies to deploy officers more effectively, focusing on crime deterrence and community engagement where needed most.

Data Drive as a Force Multiplier

Maintaining an efficient, data-driven agency is challenging when many departments are faced with staffing shortages, data silos, and outdated manual reporting processes. The presentation emphasized the value of improving data drive and showed that force multiplier solutions like CrimeTracer and ResourceRouter improve agency performance, reduce redundancy, and allow officers to engage with communities proactively.

By adopting comprehensive platforms and solutions that use analytics and increase data sharing internally while improving mobile accessibility, agencies can streamline their data initiatives and strongly articulate their positive impact on public safety. This data-driven model allows agencies to generate insights into their efforts beyond responding to 911 calls. Going beyond reactive to using data to drive decision-making fosters transparency and demonstrates measurable outcomes in community policing.

Contact us to learn more about CrimeTracer, ResourceRouter, and other SoundThinking solutions for public safety.