Police leaders have always been responsible for the safety of communities; this responsibility requires knowledge of crime trends, both globally and locally. Not only can the knowledge of crime trends help agencies develop more effective and appropriate tactics to prevent and solve crimes, but proactively acknowledging and addressing the changing needs of your community can help foster trust and support for the police.
Agencies continually have to adapt to a variety of environmental, social, and technological changes. Some examples include demographical changes, the evolving nature of drug markets, growth in the use of incarceration in the United States, and innovations in technology (e.g., automobiles, computers, mobile phones). For instance, the widespread use of technology such as mobile devices to record and disseminate instances of use of force have placed officers under increased public scrutiny. At the same time, police agencies have leveraged the same technology to connect with their communities through social media, to improve community trust in police through community policing efforts, to increase transparency, and to advance policy innovations. One example of a department that evolved from public calls to disband the department to winning awards in recognition of their innovations in problem-oriented policing is highlighted in the article in this issue by Robin Engel and James Whalen, “Integrating Police Reform without Sacrificing Community Safety.” This example is only one of many instances in which police agencies have adapted to changing societal needs. For a more extensive historical context and examples of law enforcement adaptations to changing crime trends, refer to this issue’s article titled, “Drawing Lessons from Policing’s Past” by Tom McKay and Rick Arrington.
A knowledge of crime trends can also offer insight to questions that arise from significant crime rate changes by providing additional context for why these changes may be occurring. When 911 crime reporting and police record computerization emerged, it was followed by an increase in the number of assaults recorded by the police.1 At the surface level, this may appear to represent an increase in violence throughout the community. However, it may also be that changes in technology led to increased access to police services and more comprehensive recordkeeping. This example demonstrates the need for continued data collection to better understand the mechanisms and factors involved in the changing patterns of human behavior and appropriate police response to those trends.
As a police leader, staying on top of these trends is of utmost importance.
As a police leader, staying on top of these trends and altering strategic responses accordingly, is of utmost importance to you, your agency, and your community, but also to the broader sphere of the field of policing, the researchers who study criminology, and the policy makers who operationalize research into practice. Recognizing this, in 2012, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) funded a feasibility study on the National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) Initiative, with input and cooperation from law enforcement agencies, to gain insight into how the U.S. federal government could better generate national estimates of crime. The progress made in this initiative is detailed further in the article in this issue, “Better Data for Evolving Crime Trends,” by Andrea Gardner, Mark Pope, and Erica Smith.
The IACP provides a variety of resources on emerging issues in crime trends and possible approaches for response. Given the recent uptick in violent crime across communities, the IACP published several resources regarding gun and gang violence reduction initiatives. These include the IACP’s Project Safe Neighborhoods National Training and Technical Assistance Initiative and the Police Officer’s Guide to Recovered Firearms Mobile Application. In addition to specific crime reduction initiatives, the IACP has compiled information and resources for implementing evidence-based policing in your department. These include a variety of resources for improving community relations, guidance on how to disseminate changes to officers through departmental trainings, and support from the expertise of your peers within IACP’s membership. The new IACP Trust Building Champaign has numerous resources that can help your agency in using data and proven strategies to help your community properly understand your policing efforts and how to interpret the data. Examples of these resources include selections from the Center for Police Research and Policy, the IACP Law Enforcement Policy Center, the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC), and the Mass Violence Advisory Initiative.
The evolution of crime trends requires adaptation from police agencies in how officers approach all aspects of crime control. Accordingly, the IACP is committed to providing assistance to police leaders in understanding crime trends and implementing data-driven policing to keep your community and officers safe. The efforts and resources of the IACP are ever evolving to help you increase the effectiveness of your agency and improve relationships with your community.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at president@theiacp.org.d
Note:
1James Q. Wilson, & Joan Petersilia, Crime and Public Policy. (Oxford University Press, 2010).
