Norcross Police Make Several Arrests on First Day Using Predictive Policing Technology

NORCROSS, Ga. - Aug. 13, 2013 - PRLog -- Norcross Police Department announced two successes on the first day they deployed new predictive policing technology to their patrol officers.  The same day as the training, two officers were in a predictive box and caught two burglars in a house.  The arrest solved several cases.  Another officer caught a wanted man in a predictive zone.  She was there spending time because of the predictions and apprehended someone wanted for probation violation on burglary charges out of Illinois.

“We are pleased to be working with innovative leaders in cities like Norcross,” said Dr. Jeff Brantingham, co-founder of PredPol and a criminology expert at UCLA.  “While no single strategy can eliminate crime, predictive policing gives patrol officers a significantly better idea of when and where to be so that they can deter it.  If we can prevent just one break-in that will mean one less neighbor, friend, or family member who becomes a victim.” 

PredPol’s unique crime prediction methodology leverages existing crime data that every city already has, advanced mathematics developed over more than six years, computer learning, cloud computing, and the indispensable experience of veteran police, like those in Norcross.  The crime data is analyzed through a sophisticated algorithm that applies proven criminal theories about crime.  The results are more accurate and more actionable recommendations for when and where crime is most likely to occur, thus allowing police to show up before  incidents happen.

 The technology has a proven performance record.  In deployments to patrol officers in cities large and small, PredPol’s predictions not only reduced crime, but were 100% more accurate than existing best practices like crime mapping and hotspot policing.  This means the technology has predicted double the number of crimes as current best practices in the most sophisticated police departments.

About PredPol

A secure, cloud-based software, PredPol’s tool was developed by a team of PhD mathematicians, criminologists, and social scientists in close collaboration with crime analysts and line level officers at the Los Angeles and Santa Cruz Police Departments in California. Just six months after launch in late 2011, those first two cities saw crime reductions of 12% to 25% in burglaries and auto thefts compared to the previous year. Since then, PredPol’s core prediction technology has grown from success with property crimes to include prediction of drug crime, gang crime, traffic incidents, and gun violence.  For more information please visit < http://www.predpol.com >.