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I have to laugh when I hear the experts on
civil rights moan about data mining, and the
dangers posed by police departments having
access to large amounts of information, and
the ability to track and utilize that
information through advanced computer
software.
I would worry more about private industry
and government entities whose missions are
purely administrative. When it comes to
police departments, the absolutely marvelous
capabilities of today's computer software are
still eluding most.
Odds are, better than not, that you'll join a
police department where you'll soon become
far more proficient with any computerized
reporting system, that may be in place, than
those who are in command. There's a high
probability that the capabilities of your
reporting system will be significantly under
utilized due to the inability of those in
command to conceptualize the relationship
between computers and crime fighting.
A lot of police commanders would take issue
with me, and they'd trot out tons of crime
statistics -- preferably those showing crime
decreases -- to prove that they're tracking
and fighting crime. If you'd ask them to
produce the results of investigative uses and
successes of their computer software, you'd
probably be met with silence.
When it comes to software designed for
reporting crime, you can't, at this point,
possibly realize just how important and
potentially useful the information you enter
can be. If you're lucky enough to join a
police department where you can query all of
that information through key words and
civil rights moan about data mining, and the
dangers posed by police departments having
access to large amounts of information, and
the ability to track and utilize that
information through advanced computer
software.
I would worry more about private industry
and government entities whose missions are
purely administrative. When it comes to
police departments, the absolutely marvelous
capabilities of today's computer software are
still eluding most.
Odds are, better than not, that you'll join a
police department where you'll soon become
far more proficient with any computerized
reporting system, that may be in place, than
those who are in command. There's a high
probability that the capabilities of your
reporting system will be significantly under
utilized due to the inability of those in
command to conceptualize the relationship
between computers and crime fighting.
A lot of police commanders would take issue
with me, and they'd trot out tons of crime
statistics -- preferably those showing crime
decreases -- to prove that they're tracking
and fighting crime. If you'd ask them to
produce the results of investigative uses and
successes of their computer software, you'd
probably be met with silence.
When it comes to software designed for
reporting crime, you can't, at this point,
possibly realize just how important and
potentially useful the information you enter
can be. If you're lucky enough to join a
police department where you can query all of
that information through key words and
search terms just as you do on Internet search engines, you'll gain a new
appreciation for the information you collect and enter. Unfortunately, most of
the search capabilities will be limited only because police commanders are more
interested in numerical statistics which have no practical relationship to the
software's potential crime fighting uses.
appreciation for the information you collect and enter. Unfortunately, most of
the search capabilities will be limited only because police commanders are more
interested in numerical statistics which have no practical relationship to the
software's potential crime fighting uses.
The biggest advantage you should immediately realize is the time you'll save
with crime/incident reporting software. Aside from the actual crime/incident
report, you'll often have associated forms and documents that need to
accompany the original report. If you're writing all your reports my hand,
you'll spend a lot of time copying redundant information, i.e. names, addresses,
locations, dates, times, etc. With software, all that redundant information will
already be there as you complete the various associated forms.
If you're worried about your ability to use crime/incident reporting software,
don't be. It's just a matter practice. If your software is well programed, it
won't let you make mistakes either.
If you join a police department that views its crime/incident reporting software
with the importance it deserves, you'll be in for a pleasurable experience.
But...never forget this. While the software may save you time and ensure
more accuracy in many ways, it will never be able to write your narrative for
you. It can help you write a better narrative, but you're ability to describe
events and circumstances will always be the most important factor affecting
your police report.
with crime/incident reporting software. Aside from the actual crime/incident
report, you'll often have associated forms and documents that need to
accompany the original report. If you're writing all your reports my hand,
you'll spend a lot of time copying redundant information, i.e. names, addresses,
locations, dates, times, etc. With software, all that redundant information will
already be there as you complete the various associated forms.
If you're worried about your ability to use crime/incident reporting software,
don't be. It's just a matter practice. If your software is well programed, it
won't let you make mistakes either.
If you join a police department that views its crime/incident reporting software
with the importance it deserves, you'll be in for a pleasurable experience.
But...never forget this. While the software may save you time and ensure
more accuracy in many ways, it will never be able to write your narrative for
you. It can help you write a better narrative, but you're ability to describe
events and circumstances will always be the most important factor affecting
your police report.
One police department, which shall remain anonymous, had a
problem with its arrest/booking software. In the field/box where the
arresting officer entered his or her departmental ID number, there
was room for a five digit identifier.
The larger, primary police department that used the system issued
four digit identifiers to its officers while some other smaller agencies,
transit police, etc issued five digit identifiers.
The problem arose when the four digit crowd entered their identifiers
in the first four spaces of the field/box. The software was programed
to identify the four digit ID's from the last four spaces. If the last
space was left blank, the ID could not be identified.
Now...you'd probably suggest a technical fix. Not so with the
commanders in this police department. A paper memo was issued
explaining the problem and instructing, in this case, hundreds of
police officers to be sure and enter their ID's properly...sure.
I can't knock all police commanders. There will always be at least
one in the upper levels of command who understands that computer
software requires constant attention and support. It's just that the
people who understand the unique needs of software support rarely
have the authority to implement that support without jumping
through a lot of hoops.
problem with its arrest/booking software. In the field/box where the
arresting officer entered his or her departmental ID number, there
was room for a five digit identifier.
The larger, primary police department that used the system issued
four digit identifiers to its officers while some other smaller agencies,
transit police, etc issued five digit identifiers.
The problem arose when the four digit crowd entered their identifiers
in the first four spaces of the field/box. The software was programed
to identify the four digit ID's from the last four spaces. If the last
space was left blank, the ID could not be identified.
Now...you'd probably suggest a technical fix. Not so with the
commanders in this police department. A paper memo was issued
explaining the problem and instructing, in this case, hundreds of
police officers to be sure and enter their ID's properly...sure.
I can't knock all police commanders. There will always be at least
one in the upper levels of command who understands that computer
software requires constant attention and support. It's just that the
people who understand the unique needs of software support rarely
have the authority to implement that support without jumping
through a lot of hoops.
| A 5 0 4 _ |
Arresting Officer ID
Arresting Officer ID
| T 3 6 7 2 |
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The Elements of Style
Amazon.com - Composition
teachers throughout the
English-speaking world have
been pushing this book on
their students since it was
first published in 1957.
Co-author White later
revised it, and it remains
the most compact and lucid
handbook we have for
matters of basic principles
of composition, grammar,
word usage and misusage,
and writing style.
Amazon.com - Composition
teachers throughout the
English-speaking world have
been pushing this book on
their students since it was
first published in 1957.
Co-author White later
revised it, and it remains
the most compact and lucid
handbook we have for
matters of basic principles
of composition, grammar,
word usage and misusage,
and writing style.