City of Clearwater, Florida:

The Community and its History of Community Policing

Technology

Clearwater has also been in the forefront of incorporating technology into its community policing strategy. The police department began its Geographic Information System (GIS) project in 1996/1997 with funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Assistance Program. The GIs project is being accomplished in collaboration with Pinellas County as a pilot for all other law enforcement agencies in Pinellas County. The basis of the system is Pinellas County’s GIs mapping which has over 400 information layers including all property addresses, Property Appraiser's Office information, building inspection activities, 911/Emergency Management data, and County-furnished utilities information.

To this database Clearwater has added actual crime data, as well as other data collected from Clearwater's Public Works Department. Resource information (such as parks, schools, libraries, and school crossings) has already been added to the system. Other information such as after school programs, job skills programs, and health services are being added to the system as the project moves forward.

GIS enables the user to prepare maps showing the number of specified types of incidents and locations for these incidents. Analysis of these maps allows a more comprehensive view of criminal activity with trends and successful prevention methods more easily identified. Additionally, at any point indicated on the generated map, information concerning that location can be retrieved (such as all criminal incidents reported at a certain address, full report information on each incident, victims, suspects, and property ownership).

The ability to consistently produce customized maps and reports that assist the officers, detectives, and crime analysts of the Clearwater Police Department and other participating agencies with their divergent requirements continues to be the primary goal of this project. Because of the extremely close proximity to each other of the municipalities in Pinellas County, the ability to share relevant data between agencies will result in improved crime analysis and crime prevention at all levels. Since criminals pay little attention to municipal boundaries, this will result in more accurate crime analysis and prediction of future serial crime locations and times for all participating agencies. The benefit to all citizens will be better prevention of crime and apprehension of perpetrators.

Next: Community Notification System