2 Policing and Big Data Surveillance Strategies

Introduction to Policing and Big Data Strategies

Being that big data companies are exploring ways in which to collect consumers information more prominently,  it is only right that we take a look at how policing tactics and strategies dealing with surveillance are being used in our society. Not only are the ways in which police are using technology for surveillance purposes changing, but also the data that they are able to obtain from the people in the communities they are focused on policing. By taking a step to observe the approaches law enforcement is using it can help to better understand the communities we live within and to possibly understand the type of protection protocols we as regular civilians are facing.

Committing crimes and taking part in illegal activities are universally understood to outcast individuals who are partaking in these activities. No one looks to glorify the criminal, and we are all expected to be held to certain standards when it comes to following the laws created by the government. It is up to law enforcement agencies to protect and prevent innocent civilians from the ways of those they deem to be going against the rules created. This is the only way to ensure that safety is a priority for communities and to keep everyone safe.

Surveillance practices have been common ways law enforcement agencies have been able to solve crime, keep up with changes in their communities, and are truly able to keep a close eye on the ever so changing society around us. As the world of technology changes, police are able to keep up their strategies and tactics with very advanced measures to gather much needed information  as they police the communities. Surveillance by definition, given by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, “The continuous or prolonged observation of a targeted individual, group, or organization by clandestine means to gather information relative to an open criminal investigation. Surveillance differs from monitoring in that it typically involves the use of more invasive tactics such as electronic monitoring.” (Chief pg.3) This definition mentions how surveillance is an invasive process. This is great to keep in mind as we continue to study exactly what lawenforcementagenices are to get away with when it comes to solving crimes or following laws that they are incharge of enforcing.

Big Data Explanation

Reading The Rise of Big Data Policing : Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement by Andrew Guthrie Ferguson really does a great job at capturing what big data is and how it plays a huge role in policing today. “In general, “big data” is a shorthand term for the collection and analysis of large data sets with the goal to reveal hidden patterns or insights.” (Andrew pg.8) With this in mind it can be understood why big data creation has truly changed the way in which law enforcement agencies are able to work when solving crime. On one hand it is a positive for those in the field, as it helps them to gather the information they need on possible suspects, criminals, and others in society who plague the streets with unlawful acts. The use of big data techniques also offer super invasive ways of possibly creating narratives for individuals who could possibly be innocent and are just caught in unjust situations.

Depending on the stance of moral and ethics those entrusted with the roles of policing our communities chose to determine exactly how the big data collected is used in policing. There can always be a bad apple in a field full of great fruit, so it can be hard to weed these potential threats out. Outside of just using big data collection to police, law enforcement agencies have stated they are choosing to use this information to also filter out the good cops from the bad cops, which is a great approach to take. This is policing the police, which would be looked at in a trusting way from those within these communities. It can put trust back into the hands of agencies that have lately been given a bad rep when it comes to how they chose to use their position of power against weaker civilians. This keeps everything leveled, or at least presents the illusion of doing the right thing on the side of the police. Law enforcement agencies often aren’t questioned when it comes to their different tactics in how they choose to do their duty, but with big data this conversation has come up in moments such as black lives matter movements, where the community has questioned who is possibly surveying these agencies as they aid in keeping communities safe.

Predictive Policing

Practicing safe policing patterns lets us bring into context the ways in which predictive policing is currently happening around us. Understanding the dimensions in which the ways police officers and law enforcement agencies gain access to information more easily now to fulfill their job expectations should be something that should be studied.

“Predictive policing, in essence, is taking data from disparate sources, analyzing them and then using results to anticipate, prevent and respond more effectively to future crime.” (Pearsall pg.1) This is a major conversation when it comes to policing and how they choose to handle different ways of polling within the communities they are meant to protect and serve. Taking this approach comes with its faults in certain vulnerable communities. In privileged neighborhoods where less policing is taking place those individuals are able to move more freely and are less likely to have their human rights tested by authority figures. In lower income areas police presence is much more heavily present and this presents very different circumstances in these communities.

Movements like black lives matter best showcase the ways in which policing using these heavy methods that involve invasive tech can potentially cause more harm to those civilians in the communities. Being less fortunate usually leaves you at risk of committing more crimes, or at least this is what the numbers tend to show. Instead it should be looked at as if you live in a nice area and have less police patrolling your streets you are able to get away with a lot more than someone living in a low income area and sees more police often patrolling their streets.

Predictive policing seems to be a gateway leading to distrust between police and those in the communities they are servicing, understandably as humans the right to privacy is one we hold in high regard, as if you strip away someone’s privacy everything is now over exposed. Being overexposed never feels good, and feels like a violation of basic human rights. Police are supposed to offer a sense of protection over the communities they service, but it can sometimes feel super invasive and unnecessary with the measures and great lengths they choose to turn to to solve crime. With big data techniques becoming common practice with law enforcement agencies it is very crucial and critical that they examine ways to properly render their safety services, without overdoing it with the predictive policing methods.

Blue Data Policing

Big data technologies play a huge and immersive role in the ways policing operates in today’s society.  It plays a role in police effectiveness, reducing police violence, and strengthens training and accountability held on law enforcement agencies.  Police officers are doing a very dangerous job, so of course it is important to keep in mind that their safety is number one priority as they carry out their duties. One wrong move and they can lose their life simply following protocols and procedures. What big data does in this instance is truly be able to hold these officers accountable for the actions and force they may use when following procedures as they go about their day to day within their field.

Body cameras are a great addition when it comes to big data collection, and it is what is most known to not only the officers using them, but also creates a sense of safety in the communities they are servicing. “Officer body-worn cameras (BWCs) are relatively small devices that record interactions between community members (e.g., the public, suspects, and victims) and law enforcement officers. The video and audio recordings from BWCs can be used by law enforcement to demonstrate transparency to their communities; to document statements, observations, behaviors, and other evidence; and to deter unprofessional, illegal, and inappropriate behaviors by both law enforcement and the public.” (pg.1) With using body cameras comes a lot of responsibility that is placed on law enforcement agencies,as this method offers a literal lens into the daily duties of officers.

“The rise of big data offers a new opportunity to collect blue data. Parallel to the innovations to monitor and understand crime patterns, police now can map and track police patterns to better understand police practices and predict future personnel problems. The goal is to systematize but also to solve recurring problems in modern policing.” (Ferguson pg.144) On a systematic level the understanding of this police data offers great insight into how their daily duties are taking place and exactly what should be reinforced or fixed. This helps to cover the effectiveness of patrol design and examines closely what areas are being utilized most , and what may be lacking.

Where the lines start to get blurred is at the point where it becomes the opinion of the officers as to whom they deem a threat in society. Their judgment is trusted, clearly by them being able to make it into their position, yet how true are their judgments and assessments of the civilians in the communities they are policing?  The ways in which data collection is going against certain individuals proves that there are some gaps in the process that are going unaddressed when it comes to the ways in which this data is used. “What if risk factors could flag officers before they crossed the line and inappropriately used force? What if police supervisors could intervene, warn, and retrain officers before a shooting?” (Ferguson pg.147) Thes questions leave one to ponder if these tools can actually be used to present new ways to train officers on the best ways to practice performing their duties on a daily basis.

Questions of the Future with Big Data and Policing

Presenting this information allows for questions to be raised to understand more of how big data is inserting itself into common police practices. This can lead to discovery from people to truly deepen the understanding of the word these mean and women do to protect our communities. With more talk about these practices we hope to bridge gaps and create meaning through understanding exactly how safe and protected communities are by the work done by law enforcement agencies to ensure our protection. Potentially this can lead to a feeling of safety in more policed communities and not having civilians at odds with those put in position to protect us. These men and women both are putting their life at risk for their duty and it is important that this information is used in better ways to truly reach the full potential of what law enforcement agencies can be. The focus should be on accountability, better results, and more understanding in the communities in which they are servicing to help ease tensions within society between law enforcement and civilians.

Conclusion

“Law enforcement is increasingly reliant on technology, including big data, for policing. Sometimes known as “predictive policing”, this approach relies on powerful technology to find patterns among crimes that have already occurred in order to create predictions of future crime.” (O’Donnell pg.1) Developing more on the information that big data in law enforcement work is truly groundbreaking and daring, but comes with some form of resistance. It can only be deemed helpful if the information is used to genuinely serve and protect the communities as it should be, and should be used as a way to police innocent people. We must remember we are innocent until proven guilty, but these data strategies police officers are using can cast a shadow over that statement. It also seems as though they may be looking for issues instead of actually finding genuine problems and solving them. This can be looked at as being proactive, but at what cost? Should the cost feel so invasive that the people who are being protected by these law enforcement officers feel violated? This chapter is to take a close look at the ways in which these new tech methods law enforcement agencies are using may potentially cause human rights issues when it comes to objectifying privacy, but it can also be looked at as a way to understand more of the ways policing can be advanced as a whole.

Looking at privacy through the lens of law enforcement can be quite contradicting, but the importance still stands on how these elements apply on a larger scale. it is important for the officers to be able to truly gain real data results from the information they are collecting, and making these authentic in nature is what counts. They need to trust their judgement and with these tech tools it shows exaclty how these steps can help create an understanding between civilians and those who are in charge of protecting the safety of those civilians.