Skip to main content

NYPD has created pattern-recognition software to help it solve crimes

The New York Police Department is using special pattern-recognition software to help it link crimes across precincts, with the department believed to be the first in the United States to deploy such a system.

Called Patternizr, the machine-learning software was developed in-house over a period of two years, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Sunday, March 10. The NYPD started using it in 2016, though its deployment has only now been revealed.

Recommended Videos

Patternizr works by analyzing the characteristics of robberies, thefts, and larcenies, while at the same time seeking patterns that may link one or more of them. Previously a task performed by NYPD investigators, the software saves huge amounts of time and can surface new clues to help cops track down a suspect who may be operating across more than one of the department’s 77 precincts.

Evan Levine, the NYPD assistant commissioner of data analytics, who co-developed the software with colleague Alex Chohlas-Wood, said the old method took far too long, with investigators using valuable time to sift through numerous reports looking for connections. Patternizr, on the other hand, gives investigators “a good head start” in uncovering patterns, and can perform intense searches with just a view clicks of a mouse.

Levine said the main aim of Patternizr is “to improve public safety,” adding, “The more easily that we can identify patterns in those crimes, the more quickly we can identify and apprehend perpetrators.”

Patternizr in action

The AP’s report points to an example of how the software linked details of two crimes that occurred weeks apart in different precincts in New York City. They involved a robber using a syringe to threaten staff at two Home Depot stores miles from each other. Patternizr was able to make the match far more quickly than a human investigator might have done, enabling the police to act on the information in a more timely manner. In some cases, the old method might have missed matches altogether, potentially allowing a criminal to remain on the streets.

10 years of patterns

Levine and Chohlas-Wood built the software using an analysis of 10 years of patterns that the department had identified manually. It utilizes data linked to each crime such as the method used to enter a premises, the type of goods targeted, and the distance between crime locations.

“The real advantage of the tool is that we minimize the amount of leg work and busy work that analysts or detectives have to do, and really allow them to leverage their expertise and their experience in going through a much smaller list of results,” Chohlas-Wood told the AP.

Before the software was implemented, investigators focused mainly on crimes in their own precinct, so it was pretty much impossible to spot patterns elsewhere.

But expressing a degree of concern, the New York Civil Liberties Union is urging the NYPD to be transparent about its use of technology in fighting crime, asking that it be analyzed independently before being deployed.

The NYPD’s use of Patternizr came to light in recent days via an article published in the Informs Journal on Applied Analytics, in which Levine and Chohlas-Wood discuss their work.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Prime Day is over, but this powerful Dell laptop is still at its lowest price
The Dell Vostro 3530 laptop on a white background.

Prime Day is already over, but that doesn't mean that there are no more laptop deals for you to shop on Amazon. Here's one that caught our eye -- the Dell Vostro 3530 with 32GB of RAM for its lowest-ever price of $649, following a 28% discount on its original price of $899. This limited-time offer of $250 off may not last much longer though, so if you want to take advantage of this bargain, we highly recommend that you finalize your purchase for this device as soon as you can.

Buy Now

Read more
This Lenovo all-in-one computer is 30% off even though Prime Day has ended
The Lenovo V100 All-in-One Desktop Computer on a white background.

Even though Prime Day is already finished, there are still some excellent desktop computer deals on Amazon. If you don't have much space, or you just want to avoid clutter, you should take a look at the Lenovo V100 All-in-One PC. From its original price of $800, it's all the way down to just $560 following a 30% discount. The offer for this machine will only be available for a limited time though, so you need to act fast and proceed with the transaction immediately to secure the savings of $240.

Buy Now

Read more
The new Reachy Mini robot can let kids turn play into innovation
The Reachy Mini robot.

The Reachy Mini is an exciting new desktop robot aimed primarily at developers, educators, students, and enthusiasts, or basically anyone interested in creative coding.

There are actually two of them -- Reachy Mini Lite ($299) and Reachy Mini Wireless ($449) -- and both were developed by the prominent AI platform Hugging Face following its recent acquisition of Pollen Robotics. 

Read more