SPD seeks purchase of risk prediction software 

With its annual grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Springfield Police Department plans to purchase risk terrain modeling software designed to help it predict criminal activity. 

“It’s one of those technical advancements that I think will make us more efficient in the future,” Police Chief Paul Williams told Springfield City Council at its Sept. 7 meeting 

The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, which Williams said the department has received since he started 11 years ago, was in the amount of $178,469 for fiscal 2022, and the city will share it in a 60-40 split with Greene County, with SPD getting the majority. 

The software purchase is intended to help SPD deter crime, according to Williams. 

Its algorithm “evaluates the potential for criminal activity in a place, using a variety of data,” Williams said. “It gives the propensity for criminal activity to occur in a location rather than basing it on past criminal activity or crime reports and allows you to kind of be predictive in where you’re going to deploy officers.” 

He added that it evaluates factors like vacant houses or the proliferation of businesses that can attract criminal behavior. 

“It puts all that into a formula and provides us with a report on a regular basis to help with how we’re going to deploy officers and do some crime prevention activities,” Williams said. 

In addition to the software purchase, SPD plans to upgrade its surveillance vehicle, which has not been upgraded in over 10 years, as well as its mobile command post, which has not been upgraded in over 20 years, the chief said. 

Greene County would use its share of the funds to upgrade professional standards software for its internal affairs and to buy push bars for patrol vehicles, according to Williams. 

A measure to accept the federal grant will be considered at council’s Sept. 20 meeting.