Working Smarter

In today’s era of technology, information is powerful, data is powerful, and knowledge is powerful. But it is only powerful if it can be collected, analyzed, and implemented into a concise plan. Many of the criminals that prey on Calvert County already know this. They ‘test’ certain neighborhoods, they set off alarm systems, and they watch and wait to see what the response is from the Sheriff’s department. When they have gathered the information, they develop a plan and they set about targeting the locations they know are the weakest in response. This can be disheartening for a target neighborhood. The good news is, information and technology work both ways. The bad news is, the current administration is not leveraging technology to their advantage.

In the hands of a trained department, millions of bits of data can be culled, and organized to provide key information for enforcement. The information can be sorted by location, time of day, type of call (priority), and department response time. Once a clear picture of the problem is identified, decisions can be made and resources can be dedicated to solving the problem. Furthermore, patrol units can be given specific, detailed information regarding crime patterns and suspects. Good policing is about being proactive in day to day patrols rather than reactive.

This level of analysis does not have to be expensive. With today’s technology and computing power, crime analysis can be done in any size department. It simply takes the dedication to the process.

Bottom line: putting more deputies on patrol isn’t the answer. Making our deputies work more overtime isn’t the answer. Throwing tax payer dollars at gut instincts isn’t the answer. Having detailed, timely, and accurate information for our deputies to work from IS the answer. It is about working smarter NOT harder.