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NYPD maximises use of intelligence
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is using UK technology, developed by Nottingham-based company ABM, to aid the investigation process in it's Real Time Crime Centre...
Earlier this year, New York City Police Department (NYPD) implemented a visualisation technology, Prochart, from ABM America, a global supplier of National Security and Law Enforcement solutions.
Prochart is now being used operationally at NYPD Real Time Crime Centre. The new, hi-tech crime centre is designed to improve crime-fighting effectiveness for serious crimes by taking advantage of the latest technologies to mine the vast amount of data collected by the department, unlocking the patterns and trends within.
Using Prochart, police analysts are able to view hidden and indirect relationships between incidents and offenders across all New York boroughs,increasing the overall intelligence picture and enabling NYPD to share and act upon the information. Within seconds, Prochart identifiesand graphically displays crime and criminal networks, supplying police with critical information not evident in individual events or reports.
By establishing relationships between targets of enquiry, Prochart provides greater results earlier in the investigative process. In February of this year Commissioner Ray Kelly announced: “We want to use every advantage technology has to offer in suppressing crime. With the RealTime Crime Centre, our detectives have a new partner in crime fighting.
”Commenting on the new centre, NYPD CIO V. James Onalfo said, “The expansion of the Real Time CrimeCentre also includes new visualisation technology for graphical reporting criminal incidents including linking descriptive details associated with suspect and incident location. ”Dawn DeGrange, vice president ABM America added, “The mission the Real Time Crime Centre is provide rapid analysis of homicides andother serious crimes. The inclusion Prochart is therefore invaluable providing real time access to critical information to improve decision-making and shortened response times.”
Time savings: Viewing links through standard tables of information is difficult to understandand time consuming; however with Prochart information from multiple databases is simultaneously represented in one chart reducing the time spent searching for information. Prochart is able to integrate all typesof media including pictures and videoclips. Images of a specific house, car person, including CCTV footage suspects, can be incorporated into charts to ensure maximum results whenthe visuals are disseminated detectives.
Exploiting the technologyDeGrange concluded, “Using systemssuch as Prochart, NYPD is exploiting technology to maximise the effectiveuse of intelligence, in order to catch criminals, reduce crime, and enhance officer safety.
”ABM is a subcontractor of Motorola, who selected ABM’s software solutiondue to the capabilities of Prochart query and rapidly analyse NYPD’s substantial criminal information databases, such as arrest records andcrime reports. Motorola will also provide first-line customer support NYPD as part of a service agreementenabling the department to contactMotorola’s 24/7 help desk to resolve any initial service inquiries regarding Prochart.
ABM’s intelligence-led applications are national standards compliant and workfrom a single data source enabling customers to gain substantial timesaving and financial benefits. Its 180 law enforcement customers include internationally renowned organisations such as the UK’s National Criminal Intelligence Service, the NYPD and the Metropolitan Police.
