What role can data play in policing?

Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has announced plans to start using data to identify the 100 ‘most dangerous’ men in London as part of a plan to overhaul what he has described as ‘Woolworths policing in an Amazon age.’

The plan would use data to determine tens of thousands of violent male offenders to target the 100 most dangerous men. We’re still a good few steps form a Minority Report style set-up of targeting crimes before they happen, in fact this method is one already employed by counter-terrorism and organised crime departments in their pursuit of criminals.

The approach could, however, be seen to raise interesting questions around how much past behaviour determines future actions, rehabilitation efforts and more. As Sir Mark explains, "Most crimes are committed by a small number of individuals, and a small number of victims and areas are the most impacted by crime.”

A lot will be determined by the criteria attached to identifying the targets, it is understood the scheme would target those who perpetuate violence against women and girls, and the actions that will follow as a result of identifying the individuals, but the plans are receiving cautious applause from many keen to see reform and modernisation within the organisation.

The police service has an interesting history when it comes to incorporating technology within its methodology, the use of facial recognition in particular has faced intense scrutiny against privacy and ethics; however there have also been success stories.

The new plans include an "overhaul" of neighbourhood policing, "becoming more visible, more engaged and more responsive to local crime and anti-social behaviour - precisely targeting priorities identified with local people". At a local level, obtaining regular, verifiable information from the community can be a game changer.

Our team recently completed a pioneering project with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Steve Turner, to deliver a reporting app the community could use to report issues such as anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, noise disturbances and more.

The app also allows users to provide feedback on Cleveland Police and access information about victim support services.

Data collected by the app is strictly regulated and stored in line with all existing protocols. As well as being a convenient alternative option for the public, it also allows police to identify ‘hot spot’ target areas of persistent crime in the area, as well as gather evidence via photo and video sharing options.

The correct application of technology can be a huge benefit to public services when properly applied, with a clear purpose and easy functionality, however we are long way from full automation; there is a still a necessity for human input.?

To this end, Sir Mark’s speech also called for an increase in recruitment of those with skills in cyber security and fraud, which some have commented may mean significant changes to the recruitment process.

Whether through a shake-up in the recruitment service, or an increase in private sector specialists to provide tangible solutions, acknowledging the need for better use of data within policing could prove the catalyst for significant change.

In addition to using digital technologies to deliver a better performance, recruiting officers with significant skills in data, programming and AI technology is essential to combat ever more sophisticated criminal operations.?

As web 3.0 technology continues to evolve, the potential for it to be used for unlawful behaviour will also continue to change and it is essential the force is able to keep up and ahead of such behaviour.

What do you think of the Met’s use of data in targeting dangerous suspects? What technological innovations would you like to see applied to policing? How can neighbourhood policing be impacted by collective community feedback? Share your thoughts below.?