Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: JULY 2016 19 W hen it comes to reducing violence and violent crime in Chicago, officials have tried a lot of different ap- proaches in order to find solutions. In this issue of American Police Beat, Professor David Kennedy discusses how some of those efforts were abandoned out of political expediency and other issues. (See page 17) Now officials are hoping that machines and comput- ers will succeed where we lowly humans have failed. The Chicago PD, like many other large agencies across the country, is now using a “unique algorithm” to make determinations about who’s likely to get shot and who’s likely to be doing the shooting. The computer program spits out guesses based on factors like criminal records, gang affiliations, gunshot wounds already suffered, and the number of past ar- rests. In other words, the com- puter has somehow deter- mined that if you live in a really bad part of town and have a history in terms of be- ing a victim or a perpetrator, repeatedly, that indicates that you are more likely to shoot or get shot than if you live in Lincoln Park or the Gold Coast. So what information does the computer need to pro- duce results and who pro- vides that information? As is the case with an in- creasing percentage of law enforcement technology flooding the market, no one knows and no one is allowed to talk about it. The program’s principal designer Miles Wernick of the Illinois Institute of Tech- nology isn’t talking. Critics of things like ex- pensive predictive policing software say there are two major issues here. The first is that any cop worth his or her salt is not mystified by the fact that violent crime is generally associated with low-income neighborhoods and indi- viduals that have “been in the system.” The second problem is that if the salesperson says they can’t tell you how the thing they’re selling works, odds are you’re getting ripped off. That’s why mechanics would rather deal with peo- ple that know almost noth- ing about cars. I am going to Florida. Let the worthy citizens of Chicago get their liquor the best they can. I’m sick of the job – it’s a thankless one and full of grief. – Al Capone, 1927 The machines will succeed where man has failed Law enforcement technology 8-bay Charging Dock The Prima Facie® body worn camera collects full motion video while combining even more advanced features; high resolution digital stills greatly enhance the documentation of crime scenes, and audio-only recording is convenient for interviews or collecting witness statements. The automatic IR illuminators allow action to be seen in total darkness, and the 2 inch LCD screen allows recorded media to be instantly reviewed. The unique two-way radio interface allows the Prima Facie to replace existing chest mounted microphones, reducing weight and bulk. Prima Facie provides all of these features without the use of constricting multi-year contracts, giving you the freedom to decide your agency’s own data management plan. Copyright © 2016 Safety Vision, LLC All Rights Reserved. Find out more today! www.safetyvision.com 800.849.9621