Nassau County, NY - March 19, 2014 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano and Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter today announced a new crime fighting predictive analysis that not only helps stop crimes before they occur but that has also contributed to a reduction in Major Crime of 13.16% year-to-date. This reduction in crime is on top of the 10% crime reduction that has taken place since County Executive Mangano took office in 2010.
County Executive Mangano stated, “Nassau County leads the nation in reducing crime thanks to our intelligence-led policing tactics, dedicated police force and approach to data analysis. Over the past four years, the Nassau County Police Department has reduced crime by over 10% and recent statistics serve as further proof of this success.”
Nassau County is reporting the lowest crime rate in its history, citing crime reporting numbers that date back to1966. This year, the Nassau County Police Department has transitioned from the COMP-STAT (Computer Statistics) model that is being used throughout the country to STRAT-COM (Strategic Communication). The COMP-STAT style of crime reporting and accountability was originally pioneered by the New York City Police Department in the 1990’s. The fundamental concept of COMP-STAT involved holding police supervisors responsible for the monthly crime reporting within their areas of command. The rapid advances in technology within the last two decades has made it possible to transition from traditional COMP-STAT techniques to a strategy that more effectively addresses and targets crime patterns. The Nassau County Police Department has been a leader in this transition more in keeping with its Intelligence Led Policing model, which uses statistics and historical criminal patterns to more efficiently direct police resources.
This new “predictive policing” style of management philosophy has been described as “Strategic Communication” or STRAT-COM. STRAT-COM is a method of communicating a concept, process, or data that satisfies a long term strategic goal by allowing facilitation of advanced planning. The focus has shifted from simply recording crime statistics to identifying the recidivist offenders of those crimes and addressing them by directing enforcement units to problem areas / individuals. Advancements in technology have made it possible for Police Officers to receive and input valuable intelligence through the computers within their patrol vehicles, enabling a more dynamic and interactive process. This pipeline of actionable and timely intelligence has effectively turned these individual patrol vehicles into mobile police precincts, exponentially increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement.
The Commanding Officer (CO) is responsible for the crime in his precinct and the resources he is given to fight crime. Once problems are prioritized and identified, a strategy is discussed amongst the CO and the Counties supporting units (Narco, Robbery, Fugitive, CIRRT, BSO, Special Patrols). Assignments are given to Directed Patrols, Recidivist, warrants and persons of interest. Their activity is monitored against the daily crime numbers and if a shift is needed it is executed in a timely manner, never allowing any crime to evolve without a strategy in place. What STRAT-COM does is: “You tell us what ails you and we will write you a prescription, if you are cured before the next visit, we will move on to your next ailment, if you are not cured we will write you a new prescription until you are.”
Since the inception of STRAT-COM in January 2014, major crimes have decreased more than thirteen percent and directed patrols have affected over 100 arrests of targeted subjects. Several Major crime issues have been solved in the first few months of operation. This impressive first step proves that STRAT-COM will continue to evolve into an invaluable law enforcement tool that will maintain Nassau County’s decreasing crime rate well into the twenty-first century.
