WMPD set to roll out ‘Operation: DETER’

WMPD set to roll out ‘Operation: DETER’

Violent crime reduction plan begins Feb. 1

West Memphis Police Department On February 1, 2017 the West Memphis Police Department will begin Operation DETER (Data Enhanced Targeted Enforcement and Restoration). The Department will focus on violent crime in areas identified through data and analysis. DETER is a collaboration between the West Memphis Police Department and the Violence Reduction Network (VRN). DETER is based in part on the success of Operation LASER conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department and its research partner, Justice & Security Strategies, Inc.

DETER focuses on chronic hot spot locations and chronic offenders.

DETER makes use of problem- solving techniques, evidence- based strategies, rigorous data analyses, and evaluation to determine who is committing violent crime, where the crimes are occurring, and why the project is succeeding or not. The West Memphis community has historically experienced a higher rate of violent crime than cities of comparable size.

The key to the DETER model is the internal collaboration with patrol and investigative units. An analyst in Investigations will collect and analyze information and carefully determine the causes of violent crimes in chronic locations. In particular, we will focus on areas where data show high rates of violent crime, unlawful possession or use of firearms, and reported shots fired.

In addition, Investigations will work with patrol to identify chronic offenders — including their crimes and criminal history. The Investigations analyst will provide information to patrol officers, detectives, and special units and will ask them to monitor their activities and, if they are suspects in crimes, make arrests.

The first step in the implementation of the project is a re-structuring of the patrol division, improvements in technology and records management, and fuller use of data and analytics. The next step is to begin a pilot project in the southwest area of the city, that has shown through data analysis, a higher concentration of violent and firearms-related crimes, as well as shots fired calls for service. Based on the anticipated success of the pilot project, Operation DETER will be expanded to other areas of the city.

From Capt. Joe Baker