With the amount of data captured by law enforcement agencies, year-end data collection and statistical reporting can be overwhelming. Many agencies compile quarterly or monthly statistics, making the year-end data compilation easier. In the age of continually new and evolving technology and associated data, are the numbers being gathered throughout the year the best statistics?
Leveraging new systems is always challenging through the implementation, and we often spend more time ensuring everything works correctly and fits the organization's needs. But what about existing technology and systems? When do we validate that the data being gathered from those systems already in place is still the best for the agency’s current needs? As we collect new data, could older data be used differently, or could the data from existing systems be leveraged to see a bigger picture?
Reporting
The number of places law enforcement records data continues to increase. From body-worn camera video, license plate reader data, computer-aided dispatch data, and more information from every other system used in policing is collected, all that data can be used to inform agency decisions strategically. The first part of letting the data tell the story is knowing what data is captured from each system. There will be overlaps in data, and knowing what each system provides helps to know which to query for statistical reporting.
The retention of the data should also be considered to know which numbers need to be collected regularly to avoid data loss in statistical reporting. Shorter-term records will vary by agency, but data like lobby traffic numbers, which are not required by law or statute to be kept for a specific time, can still help determine staffing needs or building safety upgrades.
Examining the data
The end of the year is always a good time to evaluate the data from each system. Consider using this time to verify data retention for all the data gathered by the organization and validate the procedures used to destroy old data properly. The information collected can be one of the best tools in an agency’s toolbox. It can inform future budgetary requests, assist in planning for staffing, facility, and technology needs, and help shape policing strategies.
- Data standards – Collecting data uniformly through data standards saves time searching the information and provides greater transparency. The Federal standards used by the FBI for staffing levels and NIBRS for crime rates should be part of every reporting agency’s policy. Still, the additional data collected should also have documented standards.
- Duplicating data – End-of-the-year reporting lets agencies see what data is captured in multiple places. Sometimes, duplicating data collection and storage is needed, such as body-worn camera footage associated with an incident being stored in both the investigation digital case file and an internal review case file. Sometimes, duplicate data is unnecessary, primarily if staff hours are used to duplicate information.
- Quality of data entry – Using technology for data searches often speeds things up, but if the data entry is inconsistent, search capabilities will be hindered. If year-end reporting requires several searches in different ways to compile the same data, the inconsistency in data entry creates more work and time to gather the information. It may also hinder other staff members, like investigators, who may not have the time or knowledge to search the data in various ways.
Using data to plan for the future
A report published by an interagency working group through the United States National Science and Technology Council in May 2023 reviewed law enforcement’s current methodology, focusing on “...data collection, use, and data transparency practices with respect to law enforcement activities, including calls for services, searches, stops, frisks, seizures, arrests, complaints, law enforcement demographics, and civil asset forfeiture”. The report identifies ways to improve how law enforcement collects and uses data to be more transparent. The report also suggests changes at the Federal level to advance law enforcement data collection practices.
While a working group report is several steps away from possible implementation of Federal policies, the future of data collection, sharing, and retention will continue to be discussed as technology becomes more varied. The different systems and technologies in law enforcement increase the need for quality control checks of the data and review of associated policies and procedures. As agencies close out the year, assessing your agency’s data collection, retention, and sharing is an integral part of planning for the future. Leveraging all the data to paint a big picture of the agency from many different viewpoints, those numbers provide tangible evidence of how the agency operates and statistically backed reasons for growth and change.
