For Immediate Release: 12/20/2016

State of New York | Executive Chamber
Andrew M. Cuomo | Governor

Governor Cuomo Announces Expansion of Crime Analysis Center in Albany

Expanded Center will Provide Real-Time Crime Analysis in Four Capital Region Counties

One of Seven Crime Analysis Centers Statewide to Help Solve, Reduce and Prevent Crime

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the completion of a $370,000 expansion of the Albany Crime Analysis Center in the Capital Region. The Center primarily serves police and prosecutors in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties and is part of a state-supported network of seven crime analysis centers. The expanded hours and services provide real-time support to local law enforcement agencies to help solve, reduce and prevent crime.

“This expanded facility will aid state and local law enforcement in their pursuit of justice,” said Governor Cuomo. “With the addition of new state-of-the-art technology, police and prosecutors will have more resources at their disposal to help solve crimes, catch criminals, aid victims and create a stronger and safer Capital Region for all.”

The Albany Crime Analysis Center, which originally opened in 2009 to serve Albany County agencies, now operates six days a week and provides real-time analysis and support to police and prosecutors in the four Capital Region counties. It has also assisted agencies neighboring counties south to Dutchess, west to Fulton, and north to Warren and Washington. The expanded facility is located at Albany Police Department’s South Station and features a video wall measuring 4.5-feet high by 12-feet wide that displays multiple sources of data and information in real time, including the Albany Police computer aided dispatch log and public surveillance cameras. The Center also has improved crime mapping capabilities, allowing analysts to better track crime in specific geographic areas.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services hosted an open house today at the Center in Albany to showcase its new capabilities. DCJS funded the Center’s expansion and supports the network of seven crime analysis centers in partnership with local law enforcement in 13 counties. Centers are located in Broome, Erie, Franklin, Monroe, Niagara and Onondaga counties. A map of the Centers is available here.

The Albany Center has roughly tripled the area it serves since it opened seven years ago and now has data sharing agreements with 33 police departments and sheriffs’ offices, which is nearly all of the agencies in the four county service area. The Center has 19 staff, including crime analysts and field intelligence officers.

DCJS Deputy Executive Commissioner Michael C. Green said, “Crime analysis centers are a critical tool that can develop leads in cases, identify suspects and connect crimes that are occurring across jurisdictional boundaries. Having this asset available in real time is a significant advantage for the law enforcement agencies that rely on the state network and another step toward improving public safety across the state.”

The state invests approximately $5.5 million annually on personnel and technology to support the Crime Analysis Center network. In addition to being connected to each other, the seven state-supported Centers have access to information from centers in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. The New York State Police, state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Department of Motor Vehicles, and federal Probation Department also permit the Centers to access information they maintain. In total, the Centers can access approximately 70 percent of reported crime outside of New York City for tactical, strategic and administrative analysis and dissemination.

Albany Police Chief Brendan J. Cox said, “Having the ability to thoroughly analyze crime related data and information is essential to providing our law enforcement professionals in the Capital Region with the information needed to keep themselves and our community safe. The most recent upgrades at the Albany Crime Analysis Center and the transition into real-time support provides the Albany Police Department and our law enforcement partners with the most state-of-the-art technology that will allow us to communicate effectively, share vital information and solve crimes in our community quickly and more efficiently. I’d like to thank Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and DCJS Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael Green for their continued leadership on this project, as well as their unwavering commitment to public safety.”

The Center uses advanced technology to access and synthesize a wide variety data and information, such as reported crimes, arrest information, and parole and probation records to provide intelligence to officers and investigators in the field. The Center can also map crime “hot spots” so law enforcement agencies can more effectively deploy staff and assist prosecutors who are preparing for trial.

For example, in March 2015, the Center assisted Colonie Police with the apprehension of a 43-year-old Rensselaer man who had arranged to have a sexual encounter with a teenager, and in December 2015, the Center helped the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force track down a suspect wanted in a Schenectady homicide who had evaded authorities for more than five months.

The Crime Analysis Centers and their staff have been recognized by international and national organizations for their innovative use of technology and quality of their work, including the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts, the Center for Digital Government and Digital Communities, Government Security News, and the International Association of Crime Analysts, which recently presented awards to analysts from the Albany and Monroe centers.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said, “This Crime Analysis Center is another vital tool our law enforcement in Albany County can use to protect the community. Having it operate in real time will provide these agencies with invaluable information as they respond to crime. This is a great asset the state has provided our county and others in the area to help resolve crime quickly and efficiently.”

Schenectady County Legislature Chairman Anthony Jasenski said, “Schenectady County is a proud partner with the Albany Crime Analysis Center, which continues to assist our law enforcement in resolving criminal cases and ensuring public safety. Our police agencies that have relied on the Center’s advanced analytics can now use its network to track crime in real time. The Center's state-of-the-art technology and real-time crime analysis will give law enforcement the much needed tactical advantage over those who wish to conduct illegal activity in our municipalities.”

Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Chairman Arthur M. Wright said, “Saratoga County is pleased to join the Capital Region counties that are working with the Albany Crime Analysis Center. The center is a critical tool our law enforcement can utilize to identify patterns of crime, track criminals and bring cases to a quick and successful resolution. As a county, we are proud to be part of this growing state network and to continue supporting the excellent work of our local and county law enforcement agencies.”

Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen M. Jimino said, “We are truly fortunate to be able to count on efforts of so many in law enforcement who day in and day out work to keep our neighborhoods safe and the Albany Crime Analysis Center is a critically important tool used in those efforts.  The Center provides an invaluable service by working to centralize regional crime data and analysis affording local police agencies and the Office of the Sheriff a broader picture of the problems and crimes being committed on a more regional basis.  And now this happens in real time providing an even greater advantage to our enforcement agencies.”

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (www.criminaljustice.ny.gov) is a multi-function criminal justice support agency with a variety of responsibilities, including law enforcement training; collection and analysis of statewide crime data; maintenance of criminal history information and fingerprint files; administration of the state’s DNA Databank in partnership with the New York State Police; funding and oversight of probation and community corrections programs; administration of federal and state criminal justice funds; and administration of the state’s Sex Offender Registry.

 

Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
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