Striving to Have Middle’s Police Data Linked to White House Initiative

COURT HOUSE – Police Chief Christopher Leusner is working to have the Middle Township Police Department become an active participant in the White House Police Data Initiative (PDI). 
Leusner was invited to the White House to participate in a 21st Century Police Briefing July 6. The event provided an overview of recommendations developed by a presidential Task Force on 21st Century Policing. 
The objective of the follow-on discussion was an exchange of ideas on maintaining public safety while also increasing confidence in the justice system.
Leusner returned from Washington wanting to implement one of the initiatives that grew out of the task force recommendation. In May 2015 the White House launched the Police Data Initiative which seeks to improve the relationship between citizens and police through increased transparency gained through shared data.
At present, 53 jurisdictions across the country have committed to the initiative. Leusner told Middle Township Committee that he wants Middle Township to be the 54th.  
According to the White House Fact Sheet, only two other jurisdictions in New Jersey are part of the current list, Newark and Camden County.
The concept is simple. Police departments are asked to release selected data sets on a periodic basis so that the public can have access to recent data on policing issues.
Portals exist and are being developed for public viewing of the data. At one portal, The Police Foundation’s Public Safety Open Data Portal, datasets can be accessed by jurisdictions and subject.
One can look at use-of-force data relative to Dallas, Texas, for example. Data from the agencies participating in the PDI is available along with select national data used to provide context for the local data.
Sharing data with the public increases transparency in policing.
The program allows the public to look analytically at the interactions between police officers and members of the community.
It is one tool among many, but it speaks to a theme Leusner has struck on many occasions, the need for intervention and prevention as well as enforcement in modern policing. Greater transparency which helps build public trust is a key element in that effort.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.