The Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division has adopted the use of an experimental technology called Predictive Policing to thwart would be criminals and burglars.
What is Predictive Policing?
Predictive Policing uses a mathematical logarithm combined with past crime reports to generate boxes on a map which, predict where officers should deploy to best deter crime.
The goal of Predictive Policing is not to boost the number of arrests in an area, it is to deter criminals from committing crimes in the first place.
How does it work?
Each day officers receive a new map with Predictive Policing boxes, and during the course of their shift officers will patrol the box areas in between responding to calls for service.
The idea is that the more time spent in the box areas the more crime will be deterred.
LAPD Pacific Division wants to enhance the results of Predictive Policing to drive crime as low as possible.
In an effort to do this we are deploying as many resources as possible to the box areas.
To further increase the effectiveness of Predictive Policing the Division is asking the public to spend any free time that you may have in these areas too.
“You can simply walk with a neighbor, exercise, or walk your dog in these areas and your presence alone can assist in deterring would be criminals from committing crime in your neighborhood,” the Division said. “Each day we will release via social media the closest cross streets for the boxes in your neighborhood. The boxes will change each day, so check back in to see where you can help deter crime.”
In other parts of Los Angeles Predictive Policing has been effective, and has reduced crimes such as theft and burglary in those communities.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/lapdpacificdivision.
