IT helps Gauteng fight crime

By Leon Engelbrecht, ITWeb senior writer

Johannesburg, 30 Nov 2007

The Gauteng Information on Police Performance System (GIPPS) is making a positive contribution to the fight against crime in the province, says Gareth Newham, special projects manager in the office of community safety MEC Firoz Cachalia.

"It is up-and-running and looking at crime trends and station performance," Newham says. He adds that GIPPS has enhanced the province`s ability to engage the police on the incidence of crime and the ability of the police to respond.

Cachalia announced the establishment of GIPPS earlier this year when reporting back on anti-crime initiatives.

GIPPS is styled after the New York Police Department`s (NYPD`s) CompStat (Computer Statistics) system. CompStat has been assisting New York City since the 1990s in holding the NYPD accountable.

The wikipedia describes CompStat as "a multi-layered dynamic approach to crime reduction, quality of life improvement, and personnel and resource management. CompStat employs geographic information systems and was intended to map crime and identify problems."

GIPPS keeps track of 129 police stations and looks at parameters, such as the reported crime rate, response times, case loads, absenteeism and vehicle fleet management.

It also allows police managers to identify good practices that can then be implemented elsewhere and flags stations that are struggling. "Sometimes it is not bad management, the station is simply overwhelmed and then it is a matter of boosting their resources," he says. "It allows us to intervene in a targeted manner."

Newham says the system is continuously being improved and will, in due course, be able to draw information from elsewhere in government, for example, Statistics SA data on population growth and movement.

CIMC obstacles

Meanwhile, Gauteng`s Crime Information Management Centre (CIMC) is still not operational, says Newham. Cachalia earlier this year hoped to have the centre running by September, but a number of obstacles have forced a delay until next year.

Cachalia explained in August that the CIMC will improve the strategic guidance and support provided to local police stations "to tackle cases of violent organised crime with the intention of improving police detection of perpetrators".

Newham says a task team comprising police, Cachalia`s department and Business Against Crime had taken charge of the project.

He says the CIMC will allow the police to better collate and analyse information it already collects, but stores disparately. "It is about linking the systems up and writing software that can automatically retrieve the information we need."