September 20, 2011 - Every place has a history that is unique. Understanding this history is essential for police officers on patrol or in the field. Situational awareness helps law enforcement know what to expect when they enter an area. Knowing that a location or property has a history of violent offenses or domestic disturbances enables officers to better prepare themselves for a particular service call.

As part of a project funded by the National Institute of Justice the Redlands Police Department in California is launching a mobile iPhone application that will put situational awareness tools in the hands of all of their patrol officers. The Near Me application allows any officer to quickly investigate recent crime activity around their current location. This GPS enabled tool educates and prepares law enforcement staff in the field for what to expect when working in or approaching a specific area or location. An interactive map interface allows officers to instantly view all recent crime activity.

“Near Me represents the future of policing which will rely more and more heavily on iPhone and Android devices while on patrol or in the field.” Milan Mueller, President, TheOmega Group

The information available through the Near Me application includes recent Field Interviews, Crime Incident Reports, Citations as well as Persons data. Officers can also query by crime type or date range. Providing a timely snapshot of recent events for officers on patrol has a positive impact on officer safety. It also gives Redlands Police Department the ability to leverage the vast amounts of data collected by making direct use of it in the field.

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