An integral part of Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure’s Safe Cities approach is intelligence. To improve services and public safety, municipal governments and agencies need the ability to transform complex data into actionable analysis and informed decisions. For Ontario’s Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), using intelligence and analysis to empower its stations and units with the impaired driving information has resulted in some promising community partnerships.
Since January 2016, HRPS has been implementing a strategic plan to target drunk drivers called the R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) program. On this initiative, HRPS partnered with Hexagon Safety & Infrastructure and leveraged our Business Intelligence for Public Safety solution to analyze factors that have historically led to DUI arrests and charges. With a focus on data-driven decision-making and roadside testing precursors, HRPS identified measurable variables that aid DUI enforcement, including traffic stops, roadside impairment tests, and increased project times. Some important information that was analyzed to help them make better decisions during traffic stops and roadside tests included demographic information as well as peak periods for impaired driving. While this may seem like standard information, HRPS drilled down into the details to ensure that all its officers were equipped with the most crucial data and intelligence available to them.
To track efforts and participation in the RIDE program, officers used the hashtag RIDE when documenting incidents in CAD. This helped HRPS leadership determine the number of hours and participants at the end of each month. HRPS was also able to track dispatchers and how long it took to dispatch units to possible impaired driving incidents. HRPS leaders used this to measure the impact the communication teams had on the success of the RIDE program.
With an increased internal awareness of the efforts to improve safe driving enforcement within police and the dispatch team, HRPSalso invited external partners to participate in the program. The agency worked closely with MADD Halton, the Halton Region chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, by creating a positive feedback program. This program recognizes officers who are enforcing RIDE initiatives across the force. HRPS is also reaching out to other groups like EMS, Fire, and the general community to encourage the city’s citizens to use their voice in an effort to deter impaired drivers.
The RIDE program is really an all-encompassing initiative that involves intelligence, officers and the community to enforce safer driving – and create a safer city.
Joseph Glover from the Halton Regional Police Service discussing the agency’s RIDE program and how to leverage business intelligence to combat DUIs.
