News from the PVM Team

4 Reasons to Integrate Police Record Management System Data for Advanced Data Analysis

Written by The PVM Team | October 18, 2023

Law enforcement agencies collect vast amounts of data within their record management systems (RMS). However, harnessing the full potential of this data often requires laborious manual analysis, hindering their ability to derive actionable insights and make data-driven decisions. To overcome this challenge, some law enforcement departments are integrating record management systems into advanced data management platforms. This integration empowers agencies to unlock the power of their data, enabling efficient analysis, optimized resource allocation, and enhanced decision-making capabilities. 

Here are four reasons that law enforcement agencies should integrate their RMS data into an advanced data platform: 

1. Enhanced Investigative Capabilities

Integrating police RMS into a data management platform allows police departments to effectively analyze data from various sources.

By harnessing the power of advanced analysis tools, investigators can uncover patterns, identify trends, and connect disparate pieces of information that would be difficult or time-consuming to accomplish manually. This leads to more effective investigations and improved outcomes.

2. Comprehensive Cross-Jurisdictional Analysis

If your RMS is connected to neighboring jurisdictions’ RMS, integrating all of this data into a data analysis platform—while ensuring compliance with privacy regulations—enables a holistic view of criminal activities. The data management platform can facilitate much more advanced comparison and analysis of incidents, suspects, and other relevant data points across different regions than a user could manually by just using the RMS system.

This complex cross-jurisdictional analysis helps identify interconnected crimes, patterns, and criminal networks that may extend beyond individual jurisdictions, enhancing collaboration and response strategies.

3. Resource Optimization and Efficiency

This integration also streamlines data management processes, eliminates duplication, and reduces manual efforts. For example, instead of a user trying to sort through and pinpoint 10 addresses on a map manually for 45 minutes, these data platforms can take that data and create a map in seconds so users can quickly spot patterns and react as needed. Or, if they wanted to find all information associated with one person, instead of pursuing 10 different records with their name or address spelled differently, the platform can automatically associate all records that might be similar, so users can get the full picture of the situation much quicker. Advanced data platforms provide a searchable, analyzed, and centralized repository for all relevant data, making it easily accessible to find out key information.

As a result, police departments can save time, improve data accuracy, and enable officers and analysts to focus on higher-value tasks such as analysis, intelligence gathering, and proactive policing, ultimately optimizing resource allocation and operational effectiveness.

4. Quick and Efficient Implementation with No Downtime 

Police departments can integrate this data and start seeing the benefits of advanced analysis quickly, and without disrupting their systems. PVM has already worked with police departments in Utah to complete this exact integration, and has a templated program ready to help expedite the process. With a pre-established integration process, including standardized data mapping, transformation rules, and connectivity protocols, we can help you streamline and accelerate implementation. This eliminates the need for extensive customization or development from scratch, saving time, effort, and resources. The existing template ensures a consistent approach across multiple jurisdictions or departments, facilitating a smooth transition and enabling police departments to harness the power of the advanced data analysis swiftly.

Ensuring Data Privacy and Protection

Taking steps to ensure data privacy, protection for sensitive information, and compliance with security requirements is incredibly important when integrating RMS data into any data platform. PVM’s templated process incorporates data protection measures, including ensuring that the platform will be set up to limit access to certain information to specific personnel, setting up processes so privatized data is never integrated into the system, and making sure that expunged cases are completely removed from the system on a regular basis. PVM will work closely with any department to ensure their data is secure and that their system is compliant with privacy regulations and requirements. With careful consideration and guardrails in place, police departments can strike a balance between leveraging data for advanced analysis while maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of individuals involved in law enforcement records.

Achieving Next Level Analysis

In summary, integrating police RMS data into an advanced data analytics platform empowers police departments with advanced analysis capabilities, cross-jurisdictional insights, intelligence, predictive analytics, and operational efficiency—all while ensuring data privacy. As a result, effective investigations, improved crime prevention strategies, and enhanced collaboration among law enforcement agencies.

Interested in integrating your RMS data? Contact PVM today to find out how we can help you achieve next-level analysis quickly.