Combating Terrorism with Local Policing through Crime Reduction: Using Real-Time, Situational Awareness within a Distributed Common Operating Picture to Combat all Crime and Terrorism -- and Terrorism - V2I2SION Process and Safecop Pilot Project

Abstract

Local law enforcement agencies role in combating terrorism should center on crime reduction. The crime fighting energy recovered from lowering crime can be converted to proactive efforts, which can root out precursor acts related to the planning and execution of domestic and international terrorism as an operational byproduct. To achieve this local momentum information and intelligence Sense-making within a common operating picture, offering real-time situational awareness can be the key difference in gaining or sustaining the crime reduction, starting this flywheel effect. By allowing function to follow form within a supporting technology, the V2I2SION process allows a more objective approach to format information sharing by Validating an offense to expend the best return on time; Visualization in real-time versus delayed mapping; Information-to-Intelligence by effective case management - and crime bulletin construction and viewing in real-time; moving toward Solutions and debriefed Intelligence for future Sense-making; and leading to Optimization and the Next action. A pilot solution named Situational Awareness for Enforcers Common Operating Picture (SAFECOP) was tested during the 2012 Republican National Convention and showed promising results against an event-strained agencys resources; which is comparable to either a crime reduction plateau or loss of personnel due to localities budget restraints.