Select Page

Durham Strategic Plan Dashboard

Shared Economic
Prosperity

Create a Safer Community Together

Connected, Engaged, and Inclusive Communities

Innovative and High Performing Organization

Thriving and Vibrant Environment

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 a new pilot related to the Civilian Traffic Investigation (CTI) program.  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 skillset specialized in traffic investigation, documentation, and de-escalation; and saving police time and resources by diverting eligible traffic calls to civilian responders.

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)

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?

The following are the major accomplishments of this initiative: 

  • Researched and developed the pilot for the CTI program
  • ShotSpotter Pilot Program evaluation was completed and presented to City Council in the 1st Quarter of 2024
  • Completed Risk Terrain Modeling (RTM) Pilot Program
  • Operation Dismount- Operation to address illegal dirt bike and ATV activity on city streets. Durham Police identified 43 individuals and filed more than 700 charges in connection with illegal dirt bike activity that occurred between June 3-4, 2023 in the City of Durham.

What's next?

Implementation of the Civilian Traffic Investigator program will take place in the next 6 months and include the following milestones:

  • Prepare for hiring and procurement of two sworn part time officers and two full time employees
  • Pilot development and implemented in focus areas
  • Evaluate the initial pilot
  • Identify and establish expanded focus areas 

Budget and Management Services Department
Office of Performance and Innovation
Strategy and Performance Division