RIALTO, Calif. -- The Police Department has begun using sophisticated software that allows officers in the field to get immediate information on crime trends.
Police Chief Tony Farrar said the system "puts data at the officer's fingertips."
It allows the officers to monitor crime trends by day, time, location and type.
The ultimate goal is to allow officers to allocate resources in a more efficient manner. It will allow officers to more accurately identify where crime is taking place, Farrar said.
Police analyst Jennifer Krutak worked with the development staff of San Diego-based The Omega Group to tailor its CrimeView Dashboard computer software to the needs of her department.
Rialto is among the first
30 police departments across the United States to begin using the software, Krutak said.
One of the many advantages of the system, she said, is that it allows officers "real time" access to crime information instead of waiting for a system update.
"Now an officer can initiate basic crime analysis," she said.
"It should lead to a quantum leap in the allocation of resources," she said, by allowing watch commanders to develop schedules that match the number of officers to peak crime times and locations.
In an interview earlier this month, Farrar said he plans to announce additional police technology aids in a few weeks. Reach Jim via email or call him at 909-386-3855.
Copyright 2012 - Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
