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U of M Shares Police Department Award for Innovative Technology
For release: June 4, 2009
For press information, contact Dr. Richard Janikowski, 901-678-1308
The University of Memphis is sharing a Memphis Police Department award for the use
of inventive technology to fight crime.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police recognized the MPD recently with
the Excellence in Law Enforcement Communications Interoperability award for innovative
technology developed and integrated into its Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). Along
with police department representatives, Dr. Richard Janikowski, associate professor
and director of the U of M’s Center for Community Criminology and Research, accepted
the award in Dallas.
Janikowski’s presence illustrates the contributions the University is making toward
battling crime. Faculty and staff at the Center for Community Criminology and Research
and the Center for Community Building and Neighborhood Action (CBANA) have been working
with the MPD’s Real Time Crime Strategy, part of the department’s Blue C.R.U.S.H.
efforts to develop innovative analytic approaches for identifying crime hot spots,
detecting evolving crime patterns, and integrating crime data with community information
to explain crime patterns and provide essential information for data-driven problem
solving.
Data from CBANA on foreclosures and property vacancy is being integrated with crime
incident information to identify clusters being targeted by offenders. In addition,
CBANA is developing a “community indicators system” in conjunction with the MPD to
support enhanced problem solving and community mobilization for use by practitioners,
researchers and community organizations.
The Center for Community and Criminology Research also is working with the RTCC to
implement a regional law enforcement data integration process to allow tracking of
offenders and crime patterns across jurisdictional boundaries, enhance monitoring
of repeat offenders, and support investigations by implementing a multiple database
search system.
“Not only has MPD developed innovative technology, but it has resulted in substantial
crime reduction in the city of Memphis,” said Janikowski. “Too often it is looked
at as just numbers, but it is important to remember that each of those numbers represents
a human being. Reducing crime means fewer victims suffering loss. I think we can be
very proud of our role in improving our community, using research to make a difference.”
Janikowski and Phyllis Betts, director of CBANA, plan to work with the MPD over the
next year to develop additional applications, analytic tools, and data approaches
to extend its efforts into building community revitalization strategies and enhancing
other crime control strategies. “MPD is very excited about being able to integrate
the databases and research that Phyllis has been developing, and will develop in the
future, regarding community indicators and revitalization into a community-wide strategy
for information sharing and enhanced community analysis,” said Janikowski.
MPD Director Larry Godwin added, “This award is the result of the hard work of the
men and women of the Memphis Police Department, the leadership and vision of the MPD,
the department’s information technology staff, Dr. Janikowski and his associates from
the University of Memphis, and the vision of the Honorable Mayor W.W. Herenton. The
crime reduction we are experiencing is directly related to our development of technology.”
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