Durham Strategic Plan Dashboard
Prosperity
Status Indicator: 
In Progress | 
On Hold | 
Complete/Ongoing
Initiative: 2.13 Pilot and evaluate new community policing strategies
Creating a Safer Community Together
Description
This initiative has recently completed three pilots and is now working on two new pilots related to the Civilian Traffic Investigation (CTI) program and a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC). Please see below for more information about current and past pilots:
1. Civilian Traffic Investigation (CTI) program - The aims of the CTI program include meeting property-damage only motor vehicle accidents—the most common resident-initiated 911 call—with a skill set specialized in traffic investigation, documentation, and de-escalation; and saving police time and resources by diverting eligible traffic calls to civilian responders.
2. Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) - This initiative aims to create a centralized hub that uses technology to help the Durham Police Department use technological advances to help the Department respond to criminal activity. Real Time Crime Centers use data analysis and information from many sources to help officers respond to, and solve, crimes more quickly.
Past Pilots
1. Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) - is a strategy being piloted to reduce robbery incidents in specific zones for each district. The department looked at robbery cases, especially those involving individuals, to determine where the RTM zones should be. If we concentrate solely on reducing these incidents, we can easily achieve and measure our progress. The RTM has the potential to achieve this goal by increasing officer presence (dosage treatments), collaborating with other city departments to make physical-environment changes on city owned properties, and engaging with private property owners to make temporary or permanent improvements to their properties that can reduce the likelihood of victimization (such as better lighting, landscaping improvements, personal security measures, etc). This has become an on-going program when needed.
2. ShotSpotter: has the goal of reducing the time it takes to respond to gunshot incidents with the goal of identifying suspects. As well as to improve evidence collection and locate potential victims in order to save lives. This pilot ended and City Council voted to not continue with the program in the first quarter of 2024.
3. Dirt Bike mitigation: this program aims to improve traffic safety by reducing the unlawful and reckless operation of dirt bikes, ATV’s, and similar vehicles. This has become an on-going program.
Key Measures & Data Analysis
Based on data received from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, there were 11,811 total motor vehicle crash reports submitted by the Durham Police Department for FY23. Of these, 71% had a Crash Severity of ‘O - No Injury’, representing the most likely type of crash CTIs would handle.
Motor vehicle accident calls falling on weekdays between 7 am and 7 pm take approximately 53.34 minutes to resolve (from the moment of dispatch to the moment the call is resolved). This means that a single unit operating solely for the purpose of responding to motor vehicle accident calls could respond to about one call per hour.
Based on the above data, DCSD envisions a total of six civilian traffic investigators, each of whom would have the capacity to respond to 1,564 calls per year. In total, then, we would anticipate that these six investigators could respond to 9,384 calls per year. Their schedules would be constructed to provide maximum coverage during peak days and hours. Hours of operation would be 7 am to 7 pm, throughout the entire week. This is possible on a rotating three-week schedule made up of 12 hour shifts from 7 am to 7 pm that sees higher staffing levels during weekdays. The schedule would align with that of HEART. Under this option one shift supervisor would oversee the day-to-day operations and supervision of the CTI teams.
No Fault Vehicle Accidents (Police Calls - Non Injury Crash Reports)
Why is it important?
The Durham Police Department is constantly working towards the accomplishments of our stated milestones in order to reduce violent crime, recruit and retain qualified employees and improve relations with the community we serve. These projects would contribute to creating a safer environment for everyone in Durham.
What have we been doing?
Civilian Crash Investigator Pilot
- Hiring process is ongoing for two sworn part-time officers and and non-sworn full time employees to fill positions for this initiative
- Creating training template for the new employees
Real Time Crime Center (RTCC)
- Researching the program
- Touring other communities with existing centers in place
What's next?
Civilian Crash Investigator Pilot
- Final approval for training template
- Hire and train personnel
- Launch program with an anticipated date in the Spring of 2025
Real Time Crime Center
- Continue research and site tours to determine best practices
- Submit budget request
- Form a planning team for the center to be developed in the Durham Police Department
City Website Home Page: Durham, NC | Official Website (durhamnc.gov)
Budget Website Page: Budget & Management Services Department | Durham, NC (durhamnc.gov)
Budget and Management Services Department
Office of Performance and Innovation
Strategy and Performance Division