Philadelphia Police Department Smart Policing Initiative II

The Smart Policing Initiative seeks to build upon the concepts of offender-based and place-based policing and broaden the knowledge of effective policing strategies. The most convincing research demonstrates that place-based or hotspot policing reduces violent crime and neighborhood disorder. This initiative addresses the need for effective policing that requires a tightly focused, collaborative approach that is measurable, based on sound, detailed analysis and includes policies and procedures for accountability. This grant program seeks to build upon data-driven, evidence-based policing by encouraging state and local law enforcement agencies to develop effective, economical, and innovative responses to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime within their jurisdictions.

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) will utilize Smart Policing Initiative (SPI) grant funds, in partnership with a research partner, to fund a criminal justice project utilizing a hypothesis testing approach that has been designed to focus crime analysis and integrate the crime science methodology to both analytical structures and decision-making business processes. Instead of teaching a generic analytical skill set, the approach specifically focuses diagnostic skills and critical thinking on problems identified by a diverse group of officers from different ranks and roles in each target police district. The PPD will develop a crime science workshop program that will integrate crime science knowledge development with a hypothesis testing approach. This will be delivered to groups of analysts and mid-level command staff as part of a structured program of meetings, analysis, and operational strategy development. The PPD will concentrate on course and program development and delivery. The PPD will then continue program development and learning, but will focus on evaluation and the creation of online resources that will enable the SPI initiative to deliver much of the course material style and content to their partner agencies across the country. NCA/NCF