By Sheriff Jim Ruth

In Front Of The Pack

In 2011 the Los Angeles Police Department started an experiment known as "predictive policing." They purchased a software package that crunches data to determine where to send officers to thwart would-be thieves and burglars. They have had success with their experiment in one area of the city and plan to implement it citywide.

It was with great interest that I read this information about their experiment and their success. Why? Because we came up with a similar program right after I took office nearly two years ago.

This program, which I have called "STAR," has been working well. It began after we used data from computers to show the area of the county where our biggest problems occur. This particular area covers about 4 % of our landmass, but accounts for nearly 20 % of our crime and calls for service.

By the way, STAR stands for Sheriff’s Targeted Area Response. As we looked to thwart future crime in this area, I coined a similar name "criminal predictors," as we used our data to plan strategy.

We chose the deputies to make up this STAR team from everywhere within the Operations Bureau. Therefore, implementation of the program did not require any extra cost from taxpayer funds. It was just a shift of manpower and a new outlook of being pro-active in crime prevention.

These deputies are focused on this particular geographical area. It is where the bulk of their responsibility lies. Yet, they are available to backup other deputies or police officers, as needed, or respond to other enforcement needs when called upon.

I do not want to give up our strategy for the STAR team, so I’ll just say that they are expected to be pro-active much more than re-active. This requires working on the citizens’ problems, gathering intelligence and working to solve these problems, while making arrests and reducing crime.

I am well pleased that we are apparently out front with some of the most sophisticated and well funded police agencies in the country. I am, also, well please with the efforts of our team, so far. Why? Well, because for the first time that I know of, people in this area are thanking us for helping them. Many of them are now saying that they now feel safer sitting on their front porches or walking down the street. That to me is a big part of law-enforcement; making people feel safer in their persons and property.

Again, I want to reiterate that we are doing this by using existing resources saving taxpayers thousands of dollars. It is another way we are working to save and get the biggest bang for the buck.

This computer program in California is software that predicts where a crime will likely happen. We, on the other hand, take the data from our computers and analyze it manually and then respond accordingly.

The wheels of creativity and ingenuity are always spinning at the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office. Our administrative staff personnel are always open to suggestions or plans that will best serve our community.

One of these plans was my "Campaign Lifesaver" that I started several months ago. It has consisted of advertisements, using traffic citations, conducting traffic checkpoints and making arrests for impaired driving.

It is often strange how rumors get started and great exaggerations made on our actions. An example of this is when we announced this campaign to work toward reducing traffic deaths. Our deputies gave away lifesaver candy at traffic stops to bring attention to this very serious problem of traffic fatalities and injuries.

One of our people was told of the rumor that we had spent over $9000 on the candy with the taxpayer’s money. Then, a local politician called Nashville and told that I used traffic grant money to pay for advertisements (billboards). Well, nothing could be further from the truth. The candy cost $92 and was paid by a local businessman. The billboards were paid for with our regular budgeted money allotted to our traffic unit.

I suppose the old adage, "believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see," should still apply.

When you add this propensity of exaggeration to jailhouse culture it really becomes a circus. Handling jailhouse complaints, along with the gossip and rumors takes a very discerning person. Some of these convicts can "con" their way around without batting an eye. So can a lot of other folks.

Unfortunately, there is always someone around who is very gullible to this contrived chatter.

One thing I can assure you, we will keep working to make things better.

I hope that everyone has had a good 4th of July with family and friends. We have much to be thankful for, especially our freedoms. It is a good time to remember that freedom has cost every generation of Americans. It is certainly a good time to pray for those in the military in harm’s way right now.

Thanks for reading.