SpotCrime - The Public's Crime Map

Body cam rollout and transparency delay, gunshot detection effectiveness, white collar crime prosecutions decline, officer wrongdoing investigations plummet after body cams, police surveillance, Dallas crime fighting plan results, taking away access to physical mail from prisoners, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Scottsdale police open internal affairs investigation after woman was falsely accused  (AZ Central) Investigations into officer wrongdoing plummet following the adoption of body cams  (First Coast News) Appeals court reverses itself, rules in Boynton case that people can videotape police  (Palm Beach Post) Governor’s Policing Surge In Jackson May Not Prevent Violence, Address Causes  (Jackson Free Press) CRIME RATE Indianapolis leaders look to more data, community outreach in effort to reduce violent crime  (FOX59) see also:  CRIME MAPPING: Tracking homicides across Indianapolis  (FOX59)  White-Collar Crime Prosecutions Continue 20-Year Decline  (TheCrimeReport.org) Are Survivors o

Re-directing no threat 911 calls, mental health unit works toward de-escalation, homicide rate surge may be over, fixing vacancies to reduce gun violence, police use virtual reality for de-escalation training, report urges transparency with internal affairs department, navigating life after incarceration, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Pilot program designed to redirect no-threat 911 calls from Columbus police showing promise, officials say  (The Columbus Dispatch) see also:  Police Aren’t Needed for 49% of 911 Calls: Seattle Report  (TheCrimeReport.org) COVID-19: Law enforcement deaths. Tracking the coronavirus-related deaths of U.S. police officers and other LE personnel  (PoliceOne) BPD's Mental Heath Unit responds to 100+ calls since its inception, works to de-escalate crisis  (KXXV) Chicago Police Department opts for go-slow approach to redeploy cops  (Chicago Sun Times) U.S. Police Academies Overemphasize “Warrior” Training of New Officers  (Academia.edu) APD’s use of force incre

Addressing gun violence, pattern-or-practice investigations, community-led responses to public safety, the rising homicide rate post Ferguson, undue influence of surveillance tech companies on policing, improving crime data to make better policy, transparency in police departments, and more... POLICE CONDUCT The People’s Response Act would establish a division within the Department of Health and Human Services to promote and fund community-led responses to public safety.  (NBC News) Richmond Police focus on community building to drive down crime  (LEX18) see also:  Cocoa police chief works to engage with community, be more data-driven  (FloridaToday.com) The Facts on Pattern-or-Practice Investigations  (CenterForAmericanProgress.org) New study ranks Kansas City Police Department one of the worst in the country  (KansasCity.com) American Policing and the Danger Imperative  (Wiley Online Library) Cops say low morale and department scrutiny are driving them away from the job  (NPR) Quali

Gun violence and mass shootings, looking at violence prevention programs, police mental health, extremists and racism in police ranks, use of force, police conduct, license plate readers, drones, police data lacks in domestic violence and hate crimes, treating substance abuse, and more... POLICE CONDUCT In Chesterfield, assaults on police and use-of-force incidents increased in 2020  (Chesterfield Observer) Dallas Activists, Police Officers Work Together to Offer Opportunity to Young Black Men  (NBC DFW) 'That's a massive mistake.' Police chief sounds off on lack of regular psych help for officers  (WXYZ) Pushing for police reform: Local police chiefs weigh in on recruiting challenges  (WXYZ) Transphobia, hostility about protesters in private cop group  (AP) see also:  From Insult to Estrangement and Injury: The Violence of Racist Police Jokes  (Academia.edu) 'A nightmare scenario': Extremists in police ranks spark growing concern after Capitol riot  (USA Today) Mar

Looking at data to prevent excessive force, software bug keeping people in prison, public health calls and policing, protests have led to decrease in police homicides, pandemic related spike in domestic violence across the nation, lowering violence without police, gun violence data transparency, and more...  POLICE CONDUCT Cities spend millions on police misconduct every year. Here’s why it’s so difficult to hold departments accountable.  (FiveThirtyEight) New research suggests that Black Lives Matter protests have led to up to a 20% decrease in police homicides  (University of Massachusetts Amherst) see also:  Policing, brutality, and the demands of justice  (Taylor and Francis Online) Can Good Data Improve Policing and Prevent Excessive Force?  (GovTech) and also:  Advocating for Justice: Case studies in combating discriminatory policing  (Academia.edu) Report: Spokane police more likely to use force against Black, Native American residents  (KREM) Three law enforcement, justice bill

Policing riots and civil unrest, peaceful George Floyd protests, police and rioters clash while police and protesters work together, police accountability, police reform, police transparency, and more... POLICE CONDUCT 3 more cops charged in George Floyd death, other officer’s murder charge upgraded  (CNBC) Law enforcement agencies ban carotid restraint  (NBC San Diego) Houston officials to honor George Floyd with march, rally and offer to escort body  (Houston Chronicle) see also:  WATCH: Des Moines law enforcement kneels with protesters, dispersing group  (KCCI) and also:  Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson joins protesters marching for George Floyd  (NBC 25) These 4 charts describe police violence in America  (CNBC) see also:  Officer accused of pushing teen during protest has 71 use of force cases on file FDLE investigating Sunday incident involving Fort Lauderdale police officer Steven Pohorence  (Local10 News) How to reform American police, according to experts  (Vox) see also:

Police mental health study, social media and camera surveillance, data to curb violence, cities trying to end violence with community initiatives, drone policing, and more... POLICE CONDUCT A systematic review of mental health symptoms in police officers following extreme traumatic exposures (Study)  (TaylorandFrancisOnline.com) Dramatic body cam footage shows rescue of kidnapped 8-year-old Texas girl  (AJC) Aggressive Cops Or Politicians-Who Is Responsible For Strained Community Relations?  (CrimeInAmerica.net) Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Police Can’t Force You to Tell Them Your Password  (EFF.org) Judge Rules FBI Cannot Hide Use of Social Media Surveillance Tools  (Courthouse News) FBI Unites Traditional Techniques with Tech-Driven Applications to Solve Today’s Crimes  (Nextgov) The police experiment that changed what we know about foot patrol  (WHYY) CRIME RATE Five ways cities are using data and tech to curb violence  (apolitical.co) Gun Violence in America

Media coverage of gun violence, can crime be predicted with AI and machine learning, lack of facial recognition laws, SpotCrime's FOIA testimony, open data to transform and engage communities, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Beyond crime rates and community surveys: a new approach to police accountability and performance measurement  (Crime Science Journal) IRS Claims to Have Identified “Dozens” of New Crypto Criminals  (Inside Bitcoins) Detailed look into Winston-Salem Police Department’s need for gunfire detection system  (MyFox8) Can We Trust the FBI's Crime Estimation Procedures?  (Academia.edu) Lessons to learn from a school resource officer  (PressHerald) Portland police chief walks out of meeting as school board asks for more time on body camera issue  (PressHerald) CRIME RATE Bias, Sensationalism Distort Media Coverage of Gun Violence, Conference Told  (TheCrimeReport) Chicago gun violence, drug cartel mayhem fueled by straw purchases  (ABC7 Chicago) Stud

Domestic violence and disturbance calls prove most dangerous for officers, can prisons make us safer, algorithm to solve murders, license plate readers on campus, hiring ex-convicts to help fight crime, body cam facial recognition, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Crime Reduction Unit met with success, crime on the decline  (Cochrane Today) Illinois deputy gunned down while responding to call, becomes 5th officer fatally shot nationwide in last 8 days  (ABC News) 'More inherently dangerous and unpredictable' | Why ‘Disturbance’ calls are a wildcard for police  (ABC10) see also:  'Abuse Is A Pattern': Law enforcement says they respond to domestic dispute calls daily  (KRCR News) and also:  Sacramento Officer Tara O’Sullivan was gunned down during a domestic disturbance call. Her death sent the region into mourning  (LA Times) City and organizers to push back against summer spike in crime and violence  (Indianapolis Recorder) New Alabama Law Permits Church To Hire It

Nashville Policing project results, Fortnite targeted by criminals, safer public housing, anti-violence programs that work, Florida prison population, beware of porch pirates, and more... POLICE CONDUCT NYPD Has Been Quietly Revamping How It Treats Crime Victims. The Results Are Impressive.  (Slate) Chicago’s Safe Passage program costs a lot, but it may provide students safer routes to school  (The Conversation) The 25 NJ police departments that used kicks, pepper spray or other force the most, ranked  (NJ.com) What Happens in the Wake of The Policing Project?  (Nashville Scene) CRIME RATE Study: Epileptic Adults in High-Crime Neighborhoods Have Seizures More Often  (US News) Johns Hopkins surgeon and other physicians tell U.S. lawmakers stories of harrowing gun violence  (Baltimore Sun) How Ring's Neighbors app is making home security a social thing  (CNet) How to Create Safer Public Housing Projects  (CityLab) How a Brownsville anti-violence group prevents sho

Rural America is struggling with rising crime rates, police using big data, hot weather means more crime, binge drinking causing crime, Uber monitors driver criminal records in real time, sporting events lead to rise in violence, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Does legal weed make police more effective?  (WaPo) The chief wanted perfect stats, so cops were told to pin crimes on black people, probe found  (Miami-Herald) FBI to Add National Data Exchange System to National Instant Criminal Background Check System  (ESR) Toronto police plan to deploy 200 more officers to priority areas in evening to combat gun violence  (The Star) Body cam footage shows officers use coin toss to decide whether to arrest driver  (The Holl) CRIME RATE In Rural America, Violent Crime Reaches Highest Level in a Decade  (Governing) Heatwave: Is there more crime in hot weather?  (BBC) A massive new study puts a pin in one of the oldest myths about mental illness. Researchers find that those who hav