Authors: Melanie Schlüter & Maurice Illi, Lower Saxony Criminal Police Office (LKA)
As part of the Cutting Crime Impact (CCI) project the Criminological Research and Statistics (KFS) of the Lower Saxony Criminal Police Office (LKA) has developed two independent tools focusing on current areas of responsibility of the LKA:
The development of the tools is based on a human-centred design thinking approach which focuses on the practice- and user-oriented generation of innovation and problem solutions. It includes the concrete needs of the users right at the beginning of the development process and helps to identify gaps or weak points in existing applications. The process of design thinking begins with insights and understanding of the users. The key role here is the actual experience rather than assumptions of the users’ needs.
KFS has been conducting practice-oriented criminological research from the police, for the police, for society and for politics since 2006. One of the aims of KFS research is to generate knowledge as a service unit for local police stations enabling it to indirectly reach practice through strategy or through recommendations for action.
The target group for the measures are many and varied. In the field of urban security, with the objective and subjective aspects of feelings of unsafety, targets are in crime prevention within and outside the police. For predictive policing, the target group is the operation and patrol service. With the help of PreMap an attempt was made to predict residential burglaries as precisely as possible, using an algorithm to then patrol the predicted areas. Participating in the CCI project has offered the opportunity to examine existing measures for practical suitability and to make customised adjustments for both areas.
Two tools have been developed which are based on the concrete needs of the users and citizens.
PATROL
For the focus area of predictive policing, the tool ‘PATROL – Police analysis tool for research and organisation of situational information in the field and on patrol’ was developed.
An evaluation of the PreMap approach by the KFS of the LKA Lower Saxony resulted in initial findings on the implementation and effect of the prediction approach, usefulness of the information, use of resources and patrol activities, as well as the assessment of the success of PreMap (cf. Gluba, Querbach & Pett 2020). The target group of PreMap are patrol officers of the operation and patrol service of the Lower Saxony police, shift managers and analysts of the (regional) data analysis centers. During the first field phase of the CCI project, the requirements capture phase, in-depth and systematic observations as well as interviews were conducted. Here it became clear that the dissemination and communication of information in the PreMap approach was inconsistent and unsystematic during the shift changes. The content, scope and nature of information transfer was not based on standardised templates. It also became apparent that the everyday experience of police officers of the operation and patrol service could not be passed on. Due to these findings and the help of an involved test police department, the following was taken into consideration:
A. Which information is relevant for the operation and patrol service,
B. How should this be prepared and;
C. How an appropriate process needs to be designed to ensure that the level of information is as identical and as qualitatively high as possible for both the police officers of the operation and the patrol service. The briefing should be systematised and optimised.
These findings and considerations resulted in the PATROL toolkit. The final tool supports the research, collation and communication of situational information for the police operation and patrol service (PATROL - Polizeiliches Analysetool zur Recherche und Organisation von Lageinformationen im Einsatz- und Streifendienst). PATROL is a structured solution for the improved and clear communication of situational information for the operation and patrol service. The tool deliberately builds on existing technical support systems and work steps, giving existing information a standardised structure and enabling systematised process flows. PATROL structures communication paths on how the daily (crime) situation can reach the end users effectively and efficiently. The tool offers:
With the help of PATROL, it is possible to combine complex analysed data with empirical knowledge from day-to-day policing in the field.
INSIGHT
For the focus area of measuring and mitigating citizens´ feelings of insecurity, the tool “INSIGHT – Insight into Subjective Safety” was developed.
One of the tasks of the Competence Centre of Urban Security (KURBAS) is to advise cities and municipalities in Lower Saxony on urban security issues. One component of this advice includes the question of when people feel unsafe in public spaces and what measures can be taken to strengthen the sense of safety. Generally, local experts are consulted using different methods. The consultations are based on information about the perception of unsafety on three dimensions:
These three dimensions have proven to be useful, but in the past, they were always done from the perspective of those in charge or experts. With the INSIGHT tool, an attempt was made to close this gap. INSIGHT is a practical tool for the assessment of subjective safety, of crime opportunity structures in public space as well as of cooperative collaboration. It consists of five steps or methods that collect the external perspective of experts as well as the internal perspective of the residents. The process begins when a situation is identified in the area that disturbs safety in public space. The reason can be a problem with dominant social groups in the public space or the observation that a space is not accepted or is deserted. INSIGHT can also be used in the case of upcoming renovations and redesigns.
The first step is to get to know the location by assessing the current structural and spatial situation through initial on-site inspections. The focus is on safety-relevant aspects such as quality of stay, seating, meeting points, lighting situation, visibility, hiding places, and so on. In a second step, the local police can prepare a small-scale situation report on crime and disorder in the selected area. Hereby, crimes and disturbances of order can be identified that can influence the subjective feeling of safety of the residents. In the third step, non-participant observation during the day and in the dark on weekdays and weekends can be carried out to record usage behaviour. This automatically reveals well-used routes or points out places that are avoided by others due to unilateral use by groups. The fourth step can be an interdisciplinary (urban) spatial walk-through to assess (un)safe spaces with experts. The guide "Walk around your Hood" can be used to determine in two hours where places with a low quality to stay are or where people feel unsafe. In the fifth step, safe and unsafe places can be marked with the help of emoji markers. This method can take place with residents from the area. Photo and video material is used to show daily routes in the area in the light and in the dark. Afterwards, participants can highlight places they like and places where they feel unsafe or uncomfortable. A final summary of the results and insights gained provides a holistic picture of the situation on site. All those responsible can then develop possible solutions and strategies.
In their entirety, these components provide a comprehensive picture of the safety situation on site. They can be combined with each other and used complementarily, but also independently of each other. The target group of the tool is all those who feel responsible for qualities in public space. This includes police, municipal representatives, crime prevention councils, neighborhood management, housing companies and many more.
We will now be focusing on the dissemination and implementation of both tools through workshops and presentations.
References:
Gluba, A., Querbach, M. & Pett, A. (2020): Lagedaten, Datenlage, Prognoseansätze. Perspektiven des „Predictive Policing“ in Niedersachsen. Teil 1, SIAK-Journal − Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis (2), 31-41, Online: http://dx.doi.org/10.7396/2020_2_C.
