ALL over the world, the emergence of `big data`helps police connect the dots to prevent and solve crimes.
The term `big data` essentially means the ability to mine a huge amount of data from diverse sources, and understand the accuracy and reliability of that data before critical analysis.
This capacity consists of complex software solutions running on supercomputers coupled with a carbonbased treasure trove of information known as the crime analyst. The future of law enforcement will likely necessitate a different mix of employees, including more civilian specialists, contract employees as well as shared resources, outsourcing, and contract services.
The use of technology to gather data and the use of skilled crime analysts to make the data useful for decision support will be fundamental for successful day-to-dayoperations and long-term strategic planning in law enforcement.
Census data can also provide significant insights into understanding a community`s needs.
