Wheeling police stepping up data-driven approach to crime

The Wheeling Police Department is continuing its data-driven approach to tracking crimes this summer, and making its findings available to the public, through a $21,000 grant from Cook County's Justice Assistance Grant program.

The funding will pay officers for six targeted data driven enforcement initiatives, known as DDACT.

During the initiatives, the department collects data on the types of crimes and incidents that occur, and what times they occur most often, along with citizen complaints and dangerous driving behaviors. The data is then analyzed to help distinguish causes.

By knowing where these areas of crime are, the department can determine the best methods to deploy law enforcement and resources, Deputy Chief Todd Wolff said.

"Through crime mapping, officers can get a better understanding of what's going on in the village and target those areas," he added.

The village also is using the online crime-mapping program CrimeMapping.com to allow community members to see what's happening in the community. Information from Wheeling police records are transferred to the site and placed on a map for online visitors to see.

Residents also can sign up for crime alerts to be sent to their phone or view the map on the village's website.

Besides the data gathering efforts, funds from the grant were used for gang and crime awareness programs for Wheeling-area high school and middle school students in Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Wheeling Township Elementary District 21.

The police department has already hosted two programs for students, and will hold two more in August when students return to school. The sessions will take place at schools, the Indian Trails Public Library District and the Wheeling Park District.