The updated plan identifies the progress the sheriff’s office made in meeting its goals identified in 2017 and identifies new benchmarks.
To reduce the rates of burglaries in Montgomery County, the sheriff’s office began applying COMPSTAT, or computer statistics, in the second half of 2017. COMPSTAT combines technology and data to allow law enforcement to make informed decisions, analyze crime patterns and evaluate the effectiveness of solutions. Patrol supervisors began deploying personnel to “hot spots,” or known problem areas, as a result of this implementation, according to the sheriff’s office.
“We use COMPSTAT combined with our patrol deputies’ knowledge and community education to combat the trends we have seen in the past regarding burglaries,” Lt. Scott Spencer said.
From 2017-18, burglaries of residences fell from 506 to 483, burglaries of buildings fell from 373 to 307, and burglaries of vehicles dropped from 1,106 to 1,006 in Montgomery County, according to Spencer.
The Real Time Crime Center facility, which became operational in February 2018, is used in conjunction with COMPSTAT. From February 2018 to December 2018, the RTCC assisted the sheriff’s office and partner agencies with 5,700 tasks, including criminal history requests and photo lineup information, according to the sheriff’s office. A precinct model map will also be implemented sometime in 2020, Spencer said. The model divides the current patrol area into 24 smaller zones, allowing for more effective coverage, according to the sheriff’s office.
“It is our hope and belief that when the precinct model is implemented we will continue to see the successful decline of crime,” Spencer said.
The sheriff’s office has also been building community action partners, or partnerships with businesses, organizations and churches to build communication and trust between law enforcement and the community. As of March 2018, there were more than 60 registered partners in the program, Spencer said.
The sheriff’s office will also establish a community satisfaction survey in 2020 to measure and obtain feedback on its services and performance.
