Modernization, Technology, and Policing: Planning and Implementing NIBRS in the LAPD

The National Crime Statistics Exchange (NCS-X) is an effort to expand the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) into a nationally representative system of incident-based crime statistics. BJS and the FBI are implementing NCS-X with the support of other Department of Justice agencies, including the Office for Victims of Crime. The goal of NCS-X is to enroll a sample of 400 scientifically selected law enforcement agencies to submit data to NIBRS; when these 400 new NIBRS-reporting agencies are combined with the more than 6,300 agencies that reported to NIBRS as of 2013, the nation will have a nationally representative system of incident-based crime statistics drawn from the operational data systems of local police departments. These incident-based data will draw upon the attributes and circumstances of criminal incidents and allow for more detailed and transparent descriptions of crime in communities. The current mechanism by which local law enforcement (LE) agencies report data to the FBI’s NIBRS, in general, is for local LE agencies to submit data to their state UCR reporting program, and then for the state UCR program to report those data to the FBI. While the FBI does accept NIBRS data directly from a small number of law enforcement agencies, the highly preferred route of reporting is through the state UCR program. The FY2016 Phase III solicitation furthers the goals of the NCS-X initiative by providing funding to the largest agencies in the NCS-X sample in order to assist these agencies to transition to NIBRS reporting or to develop a comprehensive plan for transitioning to NIBRS reporting via the state pipeline. Specifically, funding under this solicitation targeted the NCS-X sample of agencies with 750 or more sworn officers that are not currently reporting crime data to NIBRS.

LAPD currently reports Summary data through the state UCR Program; they have already begun the process of moving toward NIBRS-compliant incident based reporting. As part of this effort, they intend to replace their current RMS. Accordingly, they are engaging in a two-phased approach to transitioning to NIBRS reporting by first planning for the modernization through the NIBRS structure and then implementing NIBRS reporting to the new RMS that will enforce the NIBRS validation rules and data edit checks.

As part of the planning phase, LAPD intends to pull together an executive steering committee to examine current practices and agency needs over a 6 month period to determine what kind of RMS needs the agency has. Through a competitive RFP process, the agency will acquire a new RMS and pilot/implement that new system in one of the 21 patrol divisions within the agency. This roll out phase will also include training staff on how to utilize the new system and monitoring for errors.

To support efforts in the planning phase, the LAPD will use funds from the current award for: 1) hardware—servers and processors to run the new RMS; 2) mobile printers and tablets; 3) training and technical assistance provided by the new RMS solution provider; and 4) services from the RMS solution provider for database configuration to support full implementation.

(CA/NCF)