Take a Walk Upstream
Rethinking Problem Solving
Picture this in your minds eye.
You are standing on the bank of a very fast flowing river. In that river you see a swimmer having trouble staying afloat sweep past you. Seconds later here comes another troubled swimmer, and then another, and another. As the frantic moments tick on, one after another drowning victims pass you and shout for help.
What would you do?
In December of 2001, Sir John Stevens, Commissioner, Metropolitan Police London, United Kingdom, used this same analogy to make a point about the challenges facing the police. Commissioner Stevens posed the question "What does the police officer do?" He further questioned, "does he jump in and help as many as he can, or does he take a walk upstream and find out who is throwing them all in the river?"
Stevens surmised that quite often police wade into the rescue and begin the cycle of uncontrolled demand and uncoordinated response. Commissioner Stevens concluded that "the police become like lifeguards frantically swimming against the tide from one incident to another, employing different tactics in a disjointed and unfocused manner with little or nothing to show for it at the end of the day."[1]
Problem Solving
Steven’s story highlights a problem that police departments across this nation face regularly: How can police agencies increase their efficiency and effectiveness when the problems they face are multifaceted stemming from systemic issues, public perception, and the evolving nature of crime itself. The challenges the police face in the field are not merely operational, but deeply rooted in both social and economic contexts.
Yet, understanding the intricacies that surround these problems can certainly allow for more effective strategies to combat them. In the words of John Miller (author, investigative journalist, former NYPD Deputy Police Commissioner, and national counter-terrorism expert), “intelligence is about understanding problems, and really good intelligence is about doing something about those problems we understand.”
Moreover, understanding problems at their core can encourage innovation, and prompt “the cops” to look beyond conventional solutions and instead embrace innovative approaches. By framing issues in this manner, the process of problem-solving becomes more than just finding answers—it evolves into a disciplined methodology that can uncover the individual layers of each problem, leading to sustainable outcomes.
It is not difficult to find innovative approaches to fighting crime. They are all around us. Take for instance gunshot acoustic detection devices technology. In the early 1990’s, East Palo Alto and Menlo Park, California were overwhelmed by shooting homicides. The police were often called to investigate “shots fired” calls; however, upon their arrival there was no way to determine where the shots were coming from because of the amount of distributed 911 calls for the same event.
John C. Lahr, a PhD seismologist at the US Geological Survey, came forward with an interesting idea. If technology can locate and measure earthquakes, why couldn’t it pinpoint gunshots and give the police an edge as to where the shootings were coming from. Today, gunshot acoustic detection devices are widely deployed in areas plagued by gun violence. This innovative solution not only provides the understanding of where the gunfire is coming from but what caliber of weapon was used. Moreover, when multiple gunshots are detected, the technology can differentiate how many different weapons were used since each separate gunshot is aligned to an acoustic focal plane.
Effective problem-solving is the bridge between understanding challenges and implementing actionable solutions. When done with precision, it not only addresses the immediate issues but also fortifies the framework for future challenges, which in turn ensures resilience and adaptability in the ever-changing criminal environment.
To that end, implementing actionable problem-solving solutions requires that the police and technologists come together and explore the “art of the possible.” The hold out in this equation is not usually the technologists who are eager for information and feedback, but the police agencies themselves that may not understand their role in coming to the table with technologists to explore opportunities.
However, there are countless examples of how a meshed relationship between the police and technologists can result in amazing results. A recent National Institute of Justice study entitled, Research on a 15-Year Statewide Program to Generate Enhanced Investigative Leads on Crime Gun Violence, revealed how the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) collaborated with law enforcement partners and technologists over 15 years to ultimately build out what today has become a premier system (BackTrace) to power the State’s CAP5 (Crime Analysis Precision Policing & Precision Prosecution Program) platform to address violent crime. Gunshot acoustic detection data, license plate reader data, ballistic imaging and tracing data, shooting incident information, arrest and wanted person information now combine together to give us the bigger picture of what things look like upstream.
Walking Upstream
So, what can the police leaders do to become better problem-solvers and explore the “art of the possible” in collaboration with technologists. Here are just a few recommendations:
1) Recognize that problem solving is not always as intuitive as it seems
Humans are natural problem solvers. From the simplest tasks to the most complex dilemmas, our human minds are wired to seek solutions by drawing on experience and intuition. However, something happens in policing, maybe because the nature of it being an upside-down bureaucracy that forces line-level personnel to make more decisions than any of their commanders. The result is that problem-solving related to the criminal environment often becomes removed from the daily evolutions of a police executive’s day due to reliance on line-level officers to address.
Recognizing this, police executives can institute formalized meetings in which they bring their intellectual capital to the table to think and act together to address the crime problems they face at the strategic and operational levels.
2) Become an educated consumer
Growing up in Northern New Jersey I became quite familiar with the well-known slogan by Sy Sims a men’s clothing supplier, “An educated consumer is our best customer.” This should be the mantra that all police leaders should follow as they endeavor to explore the “art of the possible” with technologists. By no means do these executives need to understand the “zeroes and ones” related to technology applications, but instead is aimed at understanding the problems they seek to solve so technologists can create viable solutions. The converse is when technologists build systems in search of a problem and police leaders purchase them without having much say into how they can solve the problems at hand.
3) Know your data holdings
In September 2016, Ahmad Khan Rahimi went on a bombing rampage in New York City and New Jersey. He was later arrested by the Linden, New Jersey police department after a shoot-out. During the investigation, Rahimi was found to have had contact with the City of Elizabeth’s public safety officials in the months leading up to the attacks when they came to his home to investigate a suspicious occurrence. Rahimi was also found to posses a security guard license issued through the New Jersey State Police. The Rahimi case underpins the value of law enforcement organizations recognize what information and data sets they maintain to prevent, detect, and deter crime and terrorism.
Yet, the reality is that in most law enforcement organizations, the folks that manage the data are buried deep within the organization’s chain of command or may even be outsourced to a 3rd party entity. If knowing what data sets an organization holds and what information is needed to understand problems is critical for police executives to “walk up stream” than it is necessary for them to have a fundamental understanding of the value of data they possess to inform tactical, operational, or strategic missions.
4) Invest in visualizing your data
Understanding problems that require innovative solutions requires the analysis and synthesis of data and information. When data is visualized and layered it offers the viewer – even those without a technical background - to distill complex information into patterns, trends, and correlations. For example, when layering license plate reader data over shooting hit data the patterns that appear can result in identifying suspected shooters.
Moreover, visualizing data can also foster collaboration and informed decision-making. Such is the case that can be highlighted by how the Critical Response Group, Inc. has built a visual mapping platform that provides the common operating picture needed to coordinate emergency response personnel both outside and inside buildings associated with a crisis. Being able to visualize data allows commander to first responders quickly understand where personnel resources need to be aimed quickly. The synthesis of visual data ensures that critical information is not only seen but understood, thereby amplifying its impact to resolve a crisis.
5) Recognize and Adopt Relentless Follow Up
When addressing crime or public safety problems requiring police intervention there is always an intricate dance of accountability and progress. It is common that in most initiatives that the initial spark of enthusiasm can quickly dim without consistent follow-up. Relentless follow-up by commanders can serve as the vital mechanism needed to ensure that initiatives stay the course, deadlines are met, and responsibilities are fulfilled. It’s not merely about checking in; it’s about sustaining momentum, addressing obstacles, and reaffirming commitments.
In high-performing organizations, relentless follow-up is a necessary discipline that drives excellence. It is the thread that weaves through the fabric of effective leadership, aligning efforts with goals and ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks. A recent discussion with Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Brennan (ret. NJSP) highlighted a mechanism that he has employed to formalize a relentless follow up capacity to ensure that data and information is continually relied upon to understand and address the problems associated with gun violence throughout the state.
The sustained vigilance that LTC Brennan has relied on to ultimately propel a statewide violent crime suppression capability required to turn intentions into achievements is a fundamental understanding among his commanders that data will drive the analysis, the analysis will drive the organization’s priorities, and those priorities in turn will drive operations.
Conclusion
Why should police organizations spend time on understanding problems before seeking to fix them? The answer clearly lies in the necessity for impactful solutions as opposed to short-term fixes.
Now more than ever, police cannot arrest themselves out of a crime problem. In other words, rushing to implement solutions without fully grasping the complexities of a public safety issue can lead to ineffective or even more detrimental outcomes.
By taking the time to thoroughly analyze and comprehend the underlying factors, police organizations can develop strategies that address the root causes of the problems they face rather than just the symptoms.
Yet, this deeper understanding of problems requires commanders adopt a problem-solving focus. Commanders may need to seek out the required intellectual capital wherever it may be, within or outside of the organization, to solve the problem. For example, they may need to collaborate with technologists, understand their data holdings, invest in technologies to visualize their data, and adopt a stature of accountability.
By investing time in understanding the public safety problems they face, police organizations can identify problematic patterns and trends, consider innovative approaches, and anticipate potential challenges. This can all be done while aligning their actions with the needs of the community in order to ultimately build trust and enhance their ability to protect and serve effectively.
“Take a walk to see what’s going on upstream.”
[1] John Stevens, Intelligence-led Policing presented at Modern Criminal Investigation, Organized Crime, and Human Rights 2nd World Conference: Durban December 2001.
Scan the QR Code below to access the Office of Justice Programs Funded Report: “Research on a 15-Year Statewide Program to Generate Enhanced Investigative Leads on Crime Gun Violence.”
Excellent article, Ray.
Good advice!