Law Enforcement Technology

JUL 2014

Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/342119

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 36 of 47

37 www.officer.com July 2014 Law Enforcement Technology TA L K I N G P O I N T S Enforcement Information-Sharing Environments (ISEs)), so does the size and diversity of the data challenge. The larger the agency, the more likely it is that you have disparate data systems within your own agency. Further, your Big Data interests may include other government agencies in your commu- nity—water/power, healthcare, benefit programs, corrections, etc. All of these isolated systems have vital data that contributes to the Big Data picture for your community. And your citizens, now disciples of the Big Data world, expect that you are fluent (and able to communicate effectively with them) in their digital language. The Twenty-first Century social-media minded citizen demands more efficiency, transparency, and speed/accuracy of law enforcement action, all because of their belief in law enforcement's responsible access to more and more data. Therein lies the rub—your citizens assume that you have access to this Big Data while, in reality, most officers can't see beyond their own RMS system and NCIC. When the average citizen is stopped for speeding and the officer takes the citizen's information back to the cruiser, the citizen assumes the offi- cer has access to 'everything' about her and her vehicle (from a law enforcement context). What she don't realize is that while crime may have no borders, the borders of the information available in real-time to an officer on the street gen- erally stops at his own RMS and NCIC. In most cases, the officer wouldn't know if the vehicle or person had contact with neighboring police five minutes ago. So, this challenge is two-fold. One: Big Data is out there and law enforcement should have access to it in as real-time a manner as possible, regardless of system or juris- diction; and Two: if citizens expect that we have this real-time access to the data needed to protect them, the fact that we don't can create serious community rela- tions issues during high profile events. To stay ahead of the data-driven curve, pro-active, forward-looking agen- cies at all tiers (local, county, state) have created initiatives targeted at ensuring that Big Data, true real-time informa- tion-sharing, and better cross-domain (and cross-system) awareness are at the forefront of their agendas. Here are some examples of how agencies are har- nessing Big Data: ■ Single agency data awareness (without costly data conversions): While many local law enforcement agencies have embraced new data management systems in recent years (RMS, CMS, JMS, etc.), a number still rely on information stored in legacy systems. Rather than spend budget dollars on costly data conver- sions, agencies are now looking to innovative technology that allows them to make use of these disparate data resources without 'throwing out the baby with the bath water.' Such technology allows agencies to create real-time data links between all of their data systems, without fork-lifting out legacy systems and one-time data conversions. So an agency can do more with less by bringing together all its internal data resources quickly. ■ TRUE real-time inter-agency tactical information sharing and awareness: If a vehicle stop results in a safety alert being added to a person's record in an agency's RMS database within a sharing consor- tium (e.g. Known Resistor, Weapons Violator), that information should be available immediately...not just to the primary agency, but to all connected agencies. The next officer from a neighboring town who has contact with that vehicle/person, even just a few minutes later, needs to know this VITAL information. With the explosion of Big Data, information on people, vehicles, things, and events changes multiple times a second, well beyond the con- fines of your agency's RMS. Without real-time access (with appropriate governance) to cross-reference, this lack of data timeliness can lead to unnecessary danger. Regional sharing consortiums are springing up at the grass roots level. They are achieving this goal and pushing the envelope by adding data streams to empower law enforcement agents 'at the tip of the spear' with the information they need to augment their instincts and make more accurate snap decisions that save lives. ■ County law enforcement and integrated justice real-time data exchange: Many successful county- wide initiatives are achieving the goal of a true, real-time information shar- ing and exchange network across all justice agencies within their county. From linking all the different RMS databases within the county together, to including county jail data, paper- less reporting among all PDs and county detectives/attorneys, these Your citizens assume that you have access to this Big Data while, in reality, most officers canÕt see beyond their own RMS system and NCIC. LET_36-38_TalkingPoints0714.indd 37 6/25/14 12:01 PM

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Law Enforcement Technology - JUL 2014