Baltimore County Police Captain Receives Award

In April of this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) presented Captain Howard B. Hall, Baltimore County Police Department an award in recognition of his leadership and innovation in developing and implementing a data-driven approach to crime and traffic safety.  This is a program that has produced positive results

in the enforcement of DUI related crimes and therefore has decreased the number of DUI related accidents and fatalities in various places across the United States.  While the Baltimore Police Department used the program to address many different concerns, we highlight DUI problems and an important area where such programs could have very positive results.

The main idea of the program is to use data to determine where police enforcement efforts should be deployed.  For example, you can map where all of the accidents involving alcohol have occurred on Baltimore roadways over the previous two years and then use a computer program to determine where and how resources can best be utilized to better enforce DUI laws and keep our highways safe.

Focusing on data helps to take some of the emotion out of law enforcement and renews the focus on safety.  While human judgment will always be necessary in order to interpret data and improve how the data is being collected, displayed, and understood, using data to employ our limited resources will increase efficiency and improve safety at a faster rate than could otherwise be accomplished.