What is Crime Analysis?

Crime Analysis is a series of analytical operations used to assist in the prevention and suppression of criminal activity, aid the detective unit, increase case clearances, and help with administrative functions such as resource deployment.  There are many tools used to accomplish these goals.

There are three main types of crime analysis:

Tactical:  An analytical process that provides information used to assist patrol and investigative officers in identifying specific and immediate crime trends, patterns, series and hotspots, providing investigative leads, and clearing cases. Analysis includes associating criminal activity by method of the crime, time, date, location, suspect, vehicle, MO, and other types of information.

Strategic:  Concerned with long-range problems and projections of long-term increases or decreases in crime (crime trends). Strategic analysis also includes the preparation of crime statistical summaries and resource acquisition.

Administrative:  Focuses on provision of economic, geographic, or social information to administration.

Some of the duties of Eagan’s Crime Analyst are to:

·        Prepare monthly/yearly statistics and graphs of criminal and call for service activity for Police Administration.

·        Use GIS (geographic information systems) to prepare specialized maps for a number of purposes, whether they are case-specific or city-wide.

·        Extract and analyze specialized information from the police database to aid in investigative or administrative functions.

·        Create and maintain databases used for the organization and dissemination of important information.

·        Keep up with the technological advances in the field of Crime Analysis.

·        Professionally represent the City of Eagan through membership in relevant regional organizations.

·        Assist in many other duties upon demand.

Back