Technical assistance for law-enforcement communications: Grant summary

A summary overview of project activities and results are presented. The goals and objectives are reviewed and a description of the approaches used to attain them is given. The feedback received from the seminars conducted as part of the project, and results from a questionnaire about the project are included. Significant findings of the project in such areas as radio channel loading, dispatch system design, training and technology transfer are discussed. Several specific problem areas are identified and evaluated. Specific recommendations for future technical assistance efforts are presented along with an inventory of technical-assistance reports generated throughout the project

Multi-community command and control systems in law enforcement: An introductory planning guide

A set of planning guidelines for multi-community command and control systems in law enforcement is presented. Essential characteristics and applications of these systems are outlined. Requirements analysis, system concept design, implementation planning, and performance and cost modeling are described and demonstrated with numerous examples. Program management techniques and joint powers agreements for multicommunity programs are discussed in detail. A description of a typical multi-community computer-aided dispatch system is appended

Technical assistance for law-enforcement communications: Case study report

Methods developed to improve police communications systems are described. Use of queueing analysis shows several ways of improving time of response to inquiries made from the field for license plate checks and for information on current wants and warrants, through a state multiple switcher network. Design criteria for more efficient centralized switching equipment are developed. A message load problem experienced in a dispatch center is analyzed, showing that communications could be improved by adding communications channels, not by adding people

Application of automatic vehicle location in law enforcement: An introductory planning guide

A set of planning guidelines for the application of automatic vehicle location (AVL) to law enforcement is presented. Some essential characteristics and applications of AVL are outlined; systems in the operational or planning phases are discussed. Requirements analysis, system concept design, implementation planning, and performance and cost modeling are described and demonstrated with numerous examples. A detailed description of a typical law enforcement AVL system, and a list of vendor sources are given in appendixes

Application of computer-aided dispatch in law enforcement: An introductory planning guide

A set of planning guidelines for the application of computer-aided dispatching (CAD) to law enforcement is presented. Some essential characteristics and applications of CAD are outlined; the results of a survey of systems in the operational or planning phases are summarized. Requirements analysis, system concept design, implementation planning, and performance and cost modeling are described and demonstrated with numerous examples. Detailed descriptions of typical law enforcement CAD systems, and a list of vendor sources, are given in appendixes

Impact of Mobile Broadband Data Access on Police Operations: An Exploratory Case Study of One Medium-Sized Municipal Police Department

As used in this study, “mobility” refers to “an inherent ability to move about,“ and “mobile computing” is a generic term that refers to the functional capabilities possible for end users as they complete tasks from various physical locations. “Broadband” refers to the relatively wide bandwidth characteristics of the wireless transmission medium and its corresponding ability to support multiple users and/or transport suitable quantities of data. “Mobile broadband” is used as a generic term to collectively refer to both terms in the context of the aggregate capabilities made possible through their use compared to other available mobile solutions and/or data. This study notes the lack of public-safety access to wireless broadband data, given resource limitations and a lack of independent evidence that would justify procurement of such technologies for police work. The current study’s deployment and assessment of this technology involved its use by the Brookline Police Department (BPD). Overall, the semi-structured interviews suggest that the wireless broadband technology was implemented with minimal difficulties and produced a number of perceived benefits for the BPD. The most direct benefit was the ease with which departmental technologies could be managed. Additional benefits were associated with increased access to timely information, increased information flow, and increased quality of reports. Structured interviews indicated that a few weeks of training sessions and ongoing informal bulletin and email disseminations were needed to overcome skepticism about the transition to wireless broadband. Most of the uniform personnel did not oppose the implementation nor did they perceive that the department was opposed to the transition. 39 tables, 3 figures, 93 references, and appended methodological details and supplementary data.National Institute of Justice (NIJ), US Department of Justice, Grant Number: 2010-IJ-CX-K02

Wireless Broadband for Municipal Police: Evaluating Clearance Times of Calls for Service

Though research has explored impacts of mobile computing and information technology on police operations, the literature lacks exploration of large-bandwidth data-sharing technologies that enhance the utility of mobile computing terminals. As part of a federally funded project, the present study employs a longitudinal pre- and postdesign utilizing 7 years of computer-aided dispatch data from a medium-sized municipal police department in the New England region. Pooled time series analyses are employed to examine the effect of wireless broadband implementation on clearance time of calls for service. Findings offer tentative support that clearance times for service calls decreased with the implementation of a wireless broadband network. Implementation did not appear to generate differential effects in areas that had experienced past challenges with cellular communication signals. Implications are provided, with an emphasis on the development of additional knowledge on technological evaluations

The Phenomenon of Identity Theft

This research is a descriptive study of the prevalence of Identity Theft in the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 2004 to 2009 and the procedures used by the Kentucky State Police to deal with this crime. The data for this study is a combination of violation code use retrieved from Kentucky\u27s Open Portal Solution (KYOPS) and complaint and case data retrieved from Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD). By gathering data from each of the 16 posts across the state of Kentucky, an evaluation of the prevalence of the crime of Identity Theft yields conclusive results. KYOPS Violation Code data showed a progressive climb and peak in the mid 2000\u27s but has since continually declined. KYOPS Case data showed a progressive climb and peak in the mid 2000\u27s but has since continually declined. KSP CAD complaint data has, since installation in 2004, showed a progressive climb in complaints. Of all complaints made no more than 20% will result in an arrest and about 43% will have a case opened on them. In conclusion, the results show a continual climb in the prevalence of complaint data, meaning the amount of complaints of identity theft continue to rise. However, the amount of criminals charged with the crime, and the amount of Kentucky State Police cases opened are continually declining. Further research may reveal the reasoning behind this phenomenon

COuntywide Police Simulation System COPS

COuntywide Police Simulation System (COPS) is a model which simulates the receipt of police, fire, and emergency medical calls at a public safety communications center, with subsequent dispatch of law enforcement officers to police events. The model examines the interaction of exogenous variables, including the type of call, the frequency of calls, the number of telecommunicators on duty, the number of police cars in service, the deployment pattern of the officers, the number of cars to be dispatched, and the dispatch plan. By modifying the values that these variables can hold, the distribution of workload among police officers can be observed, response times and service times can be examined, and dispatching policies can be evaluated. Sensitivity analysis can be performed without disrupting the life-critical nature of the live operation. An interactive component permits the model to also be used as a training tool for police dispatchers. The thesis presents reasons why it is important to gain a better understanding of the delivery of police services. Major considerations in developing a model are explored, especially as they relate to the simulation of police activity. Programs which gather data on event generation times, telecommunicator service times, patrol-unit travel and service times, event waiting times, and the number of cars per call are detailed. A major portion of the thesis examines each module and entity used in the GPSS/H implementation of the simulation model. The important issue of validation is also addressed. Validation strategy, validation programs, and the construction of a benchmark are discussed. An evaluation of the success of the project is presented, with suggested areas for consideration and future research