Are You Proactively Using Your Data?

Every police agency has a wealth of information right at their fingertips—hidden in the reports, records, and calls for service that come in every single day. The real question is: are you using that data proactively?

These are important questions every law enforcement leader should be asking:

• Are you analyzing your data to ide

  ntify and truly understand the problems in your jurisdiction?

• Are you utilizing analysts to turn that raw information into actionable insights?

• Are you creating mapping products that not only show where crime is happening, but tell a story about why it’s happening?

• Are you using this data to develop and refine response plans?

• Are you revisiting and updating the data regularly to assess whether your responses are working?

• Are you tracking changes over time to measure your progress?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” then it’s time to reevaluate how you’re addressing crime in your community.

The reality is this: the future of policing will rely on the proactive use of data to drive crime reduction and prevention. Evidence-based and problem-oriented policing can only succeed when agencies move beyond reacting to crime and start using the information they already have to prevent it.

This isn’t just about crunching numbers—it’s about building a smarter, more sustainable approach to public safety. Data tells a story. It helps identify patterns, anticipate risks, and design strategies that work. Without it, agencies are flying blind.

If your agency isn’t sure how to take this step, you don’t have to figure it out alone. This is exactly what I help with: guiding law enforcement and community leaders in understanding how to use data proactively to create safer neighborhoods.

👉 Ready to take that step? Feel free to contact me—I’d be glad to help.