by Jonas Baughman
Today’s quickly evolving world of public safety demands those responsible for protecting communities are able to deploy resources swiftly and effectively. Organizations that rely on field operations and community engagement – including police departments, municipal departments, non-profits, and other stakeholders – must make data-informed decisions about where, when, and how to best allocate their resources.
Traditional methods of resource deployment often involve cumbersome processes, manual data analysis, and outdated reports. These inefficiencies can lead to delays that hinder an organization’s ability to respond promptly. Providing field personnel with a streamlined, data-driven approach eliminates unnecessary bottlenecks, allowing teams to focus on their essential work.
The Power of Spatial Analytics
The integration of spatial analytics, including Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) into everyday operations ensures that decision-making is not based on guesswork but on concrete, data-backed insights.RTM leverages geographic data to identify patterns, trends, and relationships that might otherwise go unnoticed. By analyzing location-based information, public safety organizations can make strategic decisions about resource allocation, ensuring personnel are deployed precisely where they are needed most.
RTM not only enhances efficiency but improves outcomes by addressing root causes of crime and other public safety threats while optimizing service coverage. Teams therefore no longer have to rely on generalized strategies; instead, they can take a targeted approach that maximizes impact and minimizes wasted effort.
This targeted approach is able to be easily achieved through a new report. The new report, called T15, is set to transform the way public safety organizations and teams deploy field personnel.
A Report Designed for Action
Driven by Simsi’s RTMDx software, the T15 Report (short for “Top 15”) provides immediate, practical insights into the top 15 highest-risk locations identified in an RTM analysis. The T15 does more than simply provide a list of high-risk locations, however.
As shown in the graphic below, the T15 Report provides everything field personnel need to know in a single page, including:
- Where to go – The grid of 15 high-risk locations simply tells staff where their work will bring the most value.
- When to go there – The Peak Times section describes when the problem under study (e.g., Motor Vehicle Theft in this example) occurs most frequently. Matching resource deployment as close to these times as possible will help deliver necessary preventive measures as well as validate RTM-related findings.
- Why they are going there – The list of Top Attractors highlights the environmental risk factors that are statistically linked to the problem, allowing for proper identification and resolution of root causes.
- What to do while they are there – The Action Plan provides simple, concrete steps for personnel to take while they are in any of the high-risk locations.
The T15 Report also promotes the idea of “15 Minutes with a Purpose.” Borrowing from the concept of the Koper Curve, field members are encouraged to take the report’s findings and perform work within a general timeframe of 15 minutes. Staffing in many public safety organizations, including police departments, is severely constrained and, in many cases, overworked. Using the T15 Report therefore allows for maximum effectiveness while requiring minimal time investment.
Put in practical terms, a police department could use the T15 Report captured above during roll call to deploy police officers to areas with the highest likelihood of motor vehicle theft for fifteen minutes at a time. Sergeants or Lieutenants could use the Daily Deployment Patterns section to randomize dosage the various locations receive. As an example, officers could be directed to visit each location found on the top row two times for one week, followed up with the bottom row’s locations the following week. Officers can speak with employees at a gas station or motel about crime prevention needs such as better lighting during visits, as well as seek feedback and input regarding crime or other needs for the business and the surrounding area.
Moreover, ideal operational settings such as a DICE program ensure the same information is shared with the police department’s partners, such as municipal departments. The same T15 Report could be shared with teams such as Regulated Industries, Public Works, or the local Health Department, among others. Each of these departments is likely responsible for one or more risk factors identified in an RTM analysis. This provides a more effective response and solution to a problem, first and foremost, but it also alleviates much of the burden placed on a police department’s shoulders.
Looking Ahead
As public safety organizations continue to embrace the power of spatial analytics, the potential for smarter resource deployment will only grow. Future iterations of the T15 Report, as well as others produced by Simsi, will further refine the ability to anticipate and address challenges before they become chronic issues. Critically, agencies of all sizes and complexities need access to this type of information. The T15 allows smaller agencies to quickly provide context to their entire operations division, while larger agencies can dive into reports which are bespoke for different beats, sectors, or shifts.
For field teams, having access to tools such as the T15 reports means achieving the ideal balance between sound direction with greater autonomy. By removing barriers to critical information, this report empowers personnel to carry out their work with precision and confidence, ultimately leading to better service delivery and improved outcomes for the communities they serve.