BALTIMORE (June 4, 2001) --Through CrimeSmart, a project funded by a Byrne Grant from the Governor's Office of Crime Control and Prevention, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council is providing six law enforcement agencies with high-tech tools to fight crime. Each participating agency will each receive customized crime mapping and analysis software, a computer and printer, installation, training, technical support and a local computerized base-map.

"BMC staff has a long history of providing technical support to police departments in the Baltimore region, and was instrumental in the formation of the Regional Crime Analysis System," said Harford County Executive James M. Harkins, who serves as BMC Chair. "The SLAM, or Street Level Activity Mapping, software that will be provided to participating law enforcement agencies was developed by BMC in cooperation with the Baltimore County Police Department."

Representatives of the Howard County, Laurel and Westminster Police Departments and the Bel Air Barracks of the Maryland State Police, who provide law enforcement in Harford County, will receive training at the Howard County Police Department's Southern District facility on Wednesday, June 6. Training will be provided at a later date in Salisbury for members of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office and Salisbury Barracks of the Maryland State Police. Experienced professionals will provide training in both the use of crime mapping and crime analysis. The training will also serve as a prototype for training programs that can be used in other settings, such as police academies and community colleges.

"Effective crime control takes a concerted, coordinated effort on a regional front.," said Howard County Executive James N. Robey "The SLAM software which affords our law enforcement professionals the technology to map and analyze crime regionally is a welcome tool. With the capability to visualize criminal activity on a regional plane and by working together we greatly improve our chances for success in the fight against crime." Executive Robey is the former Chief of the Howard County Police Department, and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council.

The tools and techniques provided by the CrimeSmart program will help law enforcement agencies share information in a timely manner, and enable them to detect trends and patterns in criminal activity.

"BMC is pleased that, through this Byrne Grant from the Governor's Office on Crime Control and Prevention, we are able to expand the use of crime mapping to smaller police departments in the region," said Paul Farragut, Executive Director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. "Criminals don't respect jurisdictional boundaries. CrimeSmart will help minimize those boundaries."

###

Links within this web site:

Press Releases

Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 December 2008 10:15