Many police departments are using big data and analytics to help identify patterns in criminal activities and to help solve crimes. For instance, the Los Angeles Police Department uses big data both to inform patrol officers those neighborhoods where crimes are most likely to occur and to help them keep track of ex-cons and other bad guys who are most likely to commit them.
But big data alone rarely allows authorities to tackle crime as it’s occurring. When law enforcement officers can be alerted to suspected crimes as they’re taking place and within proximity of their patrol areas, they can dramatically improve response times and overall performance in fighting crime.
Law enforcement agencies can benefit greatly from real-time crime intelligence and analytics, particularly as law enforcement agencies are struggling with budget cuts and staff reductions. After peaking in 2008, the ranks of police forces across the U.S. have shrunk by nearly 7%, according to CNBC.
One country that’s taking an aggressive approach to using Fast Data to combat crime is India. India’s government plans to network the country’s 15,000 police stations as part of the Crime and Criminals Tracking Networking and Systems (CCTNS) initiative. Under the CCTNS project, India is interconnecting its 15,000 police stations, e-courts, e-prisons, and other law enforcement agencies to receive real-time updates on criminal information across the country.
A key element of the real-time data project is a central citizen services portal that will include a list of wanted criminals that can be used to alert police and citizens about dubious activities and potential suspects through the assistance of policing mobile applications such as facial recognition. Fast Data can also include the use of geolocation data about crime locations and known criminals in the area which can help police officers identify potential suspects and respond to crimes with greater knowledge.
At a time when many police departments are stretched thin, Fast Data is a highly effective way of arming law enforcement agencies with the ability to identify criminal situations as they occur and take intelligent, immediate action.
Click here to learn more about TIBCO’s Fast Data platform, and visit this page to find out how your company can get on the road to a digital transformation like these law enforcement agencies, through a series of roundtable webinars with industry leaders and experts.
