Community Demonstration ProjectBaltimore Police Department

June 27, 2000

Regional Crime Analysis GIS (RCAGIS)

Developed by theUnited States Department of Justice

Criminal DivisionGeographic Information Systems Staff

Why Baltimore City?Population: 736,014 (1990 Census)

1998 Second Most Violent Big City in America

Among the 30 largest cities

- Ranked 2nd in violent crime

- Ranked 2nd in total felony crime

- Ranked 2nd in murder rate

1999

311 homicides in Baltimore City

Seven times the national average

Baltimore City PD

Baltimore County PD

Howard County PD

...

...

HIDTA

13 Police Departments Dial-up Connection Master Database

• Formed RCAS, an incorporated, not-for-profit agency• Standardized crime incident data• Geocode own crime data• Independent LANs

• 13,600 records in 1998

• Upload/Download 2-3 times per week

What is RCAGIS?Mapping, Chiefs, sheriffs, and commissioners

Analysis, and Commanders

Reporting tools: Crime analysts

Managers

Officers

Flexible: Add new users and data without additional computer programming

Easy to use: 3 modules, all menu driven

Automated reports

Spatial and temporal analysis

Generate maps and reports in less than one minute

Inexpensive:$100 per PC, MapObjects 2.0

Delivery date: April 3, 2000

RCAGIS Members

The Greater Baltimore Area

The Greater Baltimore Area

Two Primary Purposes of GIS to Law Enforcement

1. Tactical and strategic responses to crime– Prevent crime, reduce crime, clear cases

– Identify target areas, trends, potential suspects

– Proactive measures

– Assist commanders to deploy officers more effectively

– Use a variety of data sources

2. Officer and commander accountability– Take action against crime and measure the

effectiveness of the anti-crime initiative

Auto Theft and Recovery Locations and Auto Theft

Hot Spots

This map shows the need for a regional focus and the similarity of auto theft hot spots using two different methods.

Compare Locations of Open and Cleared Cases and

Identify Potential Suspects

RCAGIS allows the user to compare concentrations of open and cleared cases, identify incident similarities, and identify potential suspects.

Tactical Responses Often Require Planimetric Data and

Aerial Photographs

The buildings are life-like in shapeand size and they are shaded according to type of use.

Measure Program Effectiveness Through Thematic Mapping: Show

Changes in Crime and Crime Displacement Effects

Baltimore County’s Strategic Objective Areas shaded according to the amount of crime.

Early Warning System

RCAGIS calculates a threshold of crime for a given region and then uses statistics to warn the user of increases in crime.

Detect Trends Over Time

For the Dundalk area, the top box shows during which cycles the crime level threshold was breached. The bottom box shows where the crimes took place in Dundalk and the mean center of those crimes.

Detect Trends and Identify Potential Suspects

This map shows a high concentrationof arrestees and DOC releasees near incident locations and PALs.

Clear Cases on Mobile Offenders

This map demonstrates the need for aregional approach to fighting crime.

RCAGIS Layout

RCAGIS Reports

• Thankful to be a CDP site

• Metadata is “twice removed” from local law enforcement agencies (LEAs)– Good reason to include an LEA as a site

– Poses new communication challenges

• Resources– Crime Analysis Unit is at half-staff

– Lack of funds, other resources

– Lack of previous knowledge about metadata

Community Demonstration Project Issues for BPD

RCAGIS• April 3 - Delivered RCAGIS 1.0

(we had several alpha and beta versions)– Automated and interactive crime analysis

– Automated and interactive mapping

– Automated reports

• June 5 - Began training Baltimore County Police Department (Baltimore City and Howard County to immediately follow)– Officers

– Crime Analysts

– Police managers and command staff

RCAGIS Status

Data Sharing and Metadata• Two BPD personnel received metadata training• Identified geographic data to share via

clearinghouse nodes • Identified a potential clearinghouse node

– (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)

• Improved relationship with Baltimore City GIS Staff

RCAGIS Status

Next Steps

• Find the appropriate NSDI node to serve as a host

• Encourage other RCAGIS police departments to use FGDC metadata standards

• Document and share the success of CDP and RCAGIS

Partners

• Baltimore City Police Department

– Sgt. Paul Herman

• Baltimore County Police Department

– Phil Canter

• Dr. Ned Levine (developer of CrimeStat)

• Our Staff

– USDOJ/Criminal Division

• John E. De Voe

• Alex Mudd

– INDUS Corporation

• David Nulph

• Jeff Burka

• Robert Crump

• Ron Wilson

For additional information please contact:

Alex MuddU.S. Department of Justice, Criminal DivisionGIS Staff

1400 New York Ave., Rm. 7120Washington, DC 20530

Phone: (202) 307-3865E-mail: alexander.mudd@usdoj.gov

USDOJ Criminal Division Web Sitewww.usdoj.gov/criminal/gis