The past decade has focused particular attention on narcotics, including heroin, prescription opioids, and new synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that seizures of heroin in the U.S. rose from about 5,000 kilograms in 2012 to more than 7,000 in 2016. According...
With an estimated 24.9 million victims worldwide at any given time, human traffickers prey on adults and children of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities, exploiting them for profit. The scope of this type of crime is broad – in fact, Polaris, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking, has...
Lacking a system to properly triage cases, investigators can be left scrambling to prioritize both time and resources. We have previously discussed the critical need for a dedicated case management tool that supplements records management systems (RMS) and supports investigations. In this blog, we will explore Shotspotter Investigate as a...
In an effort to solve this public health crisis, the ATF established the concept of a crime gun intelligence center (CGIC) in 2016 to identify serial shooters, their sources of crime guns, disrupt criminal activity, and prevent gun violence. Now, 25 CGICs are strategically located across the nation, all operating...
Currently, most record management systems (RMS) are designed primarily for reporting incidents at the patrol level, and they lack the analytical capabilities and task management for law enforcement investigations that have greater complexity. Yet, most law enforcement departments are still primarily leveraging RMS for police operations, and ultimately losing key...
However, many units managing intelligence investigations are still trying to manage their growing caseloads with spreadsheets and other archaic, manual case management systems that are preventing them from gathering information as efficiently and effectively as possible. In this blog, we’ll discuss what the primary duties are for criminal intelligence investigators,...
To understand how a precision policing platform helps law enforcement prevent crime and enhance community trust, let’s first address the precision policing philosophy that is the foundation of ShotSpotter’s platform. Precision policing is a framework for structuring, managing, motivating, and leading a twenty-first-century police force. It’s built upon the...
When it comes to building a criminal investigation for effective prosecution, ultimately solving crimes and upholding public safety, both investigators and prosecutors have invaluable and interconnected roles to play. In an ideal world, investigators will meticulously document every relevant detail and publish their findings in a highly organized, easy-to-digest report...
Naturally, improving clearance rates is a top priority for every law enforcement agency. Not only does it get serial offenders off the street, but importantly provides a degree of closure and justice for victims and their families. According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, national clearance rates have been hovering in...
If you’re only using an RMS for your police operations, you’re losing key functionality when it comes to your investigations. In this blog, we discuss the difference between an RMS and a true case management system, and why you need both.