A specialized unit within the London Police Service is using crime mapping tools and statistics to predict where and when a criminal will strike next.
Police began putting a crime map online in January 2014. It shows where a wide range of criminal activities have taken place across the city. The Tactical Analysis and Problem Solving Committee studies thefts, robberies, drug crimes and reports of indecent acts. The data gathered allows officers to zero in on an area where certain crimes are on the rise and take action.
"We're going to give you an idea of where things are going to happen, what types of things are going to happen and then that is used by the decision-makers to decided where the resources should be. With a clearer picture we can expect to be in the places where we need to be when things are happening," says Detective Andrew Whitford, who notes looking at the entire picture is key. "We looked at where drug houses were located in the city and looked at property crime in the area, conducted some police interventions and then looked back at property crime in the area. It was a mishmash of drugs and crime."
The TAPS Committee meets once a week with front line officers to review crime trends in the city.
Whitford says studying past crime trends in certain neighbourhoods allows for intervention and more education on crime prevention. The committee noticed a major spike in thefts near college and university campuses between August and September. Last year, officers went door-to-door handing out flyers and offering tips on how to protect your property. As a result, there was a 75% decrease in property thefts in 2014 compared to the same period in 2013. Police ramped up patrols in the area and arrested 33 people and laid 91 charges.
The LPS Crime Mapping Tool can be viewed HERE.