PRINCE FREDERICK, MD - According to a recent press release, Calvert County
Sheriff Mike Evans is sending his command staff
to Ocean City, MD to learn about the Data Driven Approaches to Crime and Traffic Safety (DDACTS). The workshop, conducted by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was funded through the Maryland
Chiefs of Police and Sheriffs’ Associations by the Maryland Highway
Safety Office (MHSO) and hosted by the Ocean City Police Department.
The seven guiding principles of DDACTS
are
- Partners and Stakeholders participation,
- Data Collection,
- Data
Analysis,
- Strategic Operations,
- Information Sharing and Outreach,
- Monitoring Evaluation and Adjustment, and
- Outcomes
DDACTS is not a program but rather a
philosophy that must be adopted by the agency, the community, and
every other stakeholder involved as a partner. That philosophy is
that when an agency captures statistics on traffic crashes, DUI’s,
and specific criminal activity over an extended period of time and
analyzes that data, a clear overlap will be evident in specific
geographic locations. Those overlap areas are where the agency must
concentrate its resources to conduct high frequency maximum
visibility traffic enforcement combined with focused crime abatement
efforts in a manner designed to reduce or eliminate the frequency of
those social harms. And, that a solid relationship with the community
on every level is critical to its success.
DDACTS is a proven way to
identify, address, and reduce traffic, crime, and other quality of
life concerns in the community. The success of DDACTS is not based on
outputs, but rather outcomes. It is not about quantity (number of
tickets written, DUI arrests, etc). It is about reducing any activity
that has an adverse affect on any community.
Upon return from the workshop,
Calvert commanders began to implement their DDACTS action plan.
Sheriff Mike Evans and Assistant Sheriff Lieutenant Colonel Thomas
Hejl received a full briefing from Lt. Steve Jones, Lt. Bobby Jones
and Lt. Dave McDowell. At the conclusion of the briefing, Sheriff
Evans said “I believe DDACTS has the potential to enable us to
make a significant impact on crime and improve traffic safety in our
county.” The planned commencement date of DDACTS activities is
June 1, 2011.
The action plan begins with the capture
and analysis of data on the most serious crimes along with DUI
arrests and reportable motor vehicle crashes (to include fatalities)
over a one-year period of time. No additional funding is required to
implement DDACTS strategy. Patrol and specialized units will change
their present focus.
The captured data will be mapped and analyzed
for overlap of serious crime and the specified traffic data and used
to identify “Focused Enforcement Areas” (FEA’s). Once FEA’s
are identified, Patrol Bureau personnel will conduct maximum
visibility traffic enforcement in these areas daily as operational
demands permit. Patrol Bureau personnel will be supported by
specialized units such as Canine, Special Operations, and Community
Action Teams to maximize efforts and effect.
Additionally,
pre-planned events such as DUI check points, saturation patrols, and
mountain bike patrols will be conducted at specified times and
locations identified through strategic planning. Sheriff Evans and
his command staff will host several town hall meetings throughout the
county to educate citizens about DDACTS, solicit their support, and
hear their concerns about their respective communities.
Outcomes will be assessed annually
to measure success. FEA’s will be identified and changed based on
what the data indicates. No community will be neglected as a result
of DDACTS, and Sheriff’s Office personnel will continue to strive
to provide the highest quality law enforcement service
possible to the entire county.
