Missouri Sheriff’s Dept. Applies Data to Resource Management: How Platte County is Focusing on New Tech to Serve & Protect

When you manage the patrol division of a large U.S. law enforcement agency, you need to know you’re putting your officers where they’re needed most ‒ and at the right time. That’s exactly why Captain Joseph King is focused on being able to identify when there’s a problem and putting the resources there, rather than guessing.

King is the patrol division commander for the Platte County, MO, Sheriff’s Office, which encompasses the Kansas City metropolitan area, Kansas City International Airport, and 13 municipal police departments that serve a population of more than 100,000 people.

“I’m trying to utilize all our resources as best as we can,” King explains. “When I have a piece of equipment that’s got wheels ‒ and I know this happens with most sheriff’s offices ‒ I’m expected  to park it somewhere.” One example is the department’s old speed trailer, which has been in operation for quite some time and requires a large parking spot, which limits its application opportunities. 

As King explains it, the main problem with the speed trailer was that it produced a report of raw data: date-time-speed, date-time-speed. But there wasn’t any context or correlation to help him see when a problem was occurring or what the problem was; and the department didn’t have the time or personnel to determine those patterns. It made responding to speed complaints in neighborhoods difficult, and actively addressing those complaints almost impossible.

“I need equipment that allows me to get real data and then direct resources into those areas at the right times. Our trailer was a useful tool, but it didn’t fit every scenario. So I began asking, ‘Can we retrofit our trailer to do this?’” King says.

Could a driver speed sign be the answer?

Working with 13 municipal police departments means there’s a good bit of overlap in providing services in King’s jurisdiction. His folks also work closely with highway safety and federal enforcement officers in the area. Collaborating with that many law enforcement organizations has made King well aware of the impact radar speed signs can have

Armed with the knowledge that something new was needed, King started researching options to get the updates ‒ and especially ‒ the useful data he was after. 

After reviewing the options, he chose a portable radar speed sign instead of updating the speed trailer. “I selected Radarsign as my recommendation to the sheriff, based on our needs and recommendations from neighboring agencies.” 

When time, space, portability and cost are all factors, a modular driver speed sign like the TC-400 from Radarsign ticks all the boxes. One person can easily install or relocate the sign in about a minute. Mounting the sign on existing poles means it can be used in hundreds of places where a bulky speed trailer simply won’t fit. And it costs considerably less than a trailer, saving organizational resources.

In addition, radar speed signs are scientifically proven to change driver behavior, providing both an immediate and long-term solution. Data confirms a consistent 4 mph reduction in average speeds and a 52 percent reduction in the number of drivers traveling more than 5 mph above the speed limit in many cases. More than two years after installation, data indicates a long-term shift in driver behavior in areas using the signs.

The TC-400 King chose is a portable, battery powered driver feedback sign that can be used in multiple locations, allowing for same-day response to speeding complaints, as well as a regular rotation of the sign for ongoing traffic calming. 

The human side of data collection

In addition to helping his team assign officers to the areas where they’re most needed for traffic enforcement, King aims to motivate his officers to keep the public informed about what the department is doing for their safety.

“Motivating people can be a challenge in the best of times,” King relates. But it’s even harder when you send officers at the wrong time of day to a problem area, and there’s nothing for them to do. 

“I’ve been in the department 23 years, and I know that being sent somewhere because there’s been a complaint doesn’t mean my time will be useful,” he says. “That’s what the radar speed sign data gives me.” It means more satisfaction for both officers and the general public.

King works with officers on downloading the data delivered by the Streetsmart software. 

The other side of the coin is increasing the sheriff department’s visibility with the people they serve. Citizens need to know that officers listen and respond to their concerns, which is why there’s a social media component built into most projects. Particularly in areas that receive frequent complaints, the department openly shares what it’s doing — and the data collected in their areas — with residents and encourages their feedback and participation.

Next steps: Active traffic calming

Always looking for ways to improve his department’s efficiency and effectiveness, King’s turned his attention to using the traffic data in other ways. He’s looking into longer-term placement of the sign to see if and how drivers react once they know the sign is there.

The agency is also looking to the sign to provide insights in other ways. For example, Platte County has a stretch of roadway where people “tend to drive highway speeds” that are well above the posted speed limit. Officers set the driver speed sign facing one direction for a period of time, then the other direction for the same length of time. Once the data’s been analyzed, they compare results to see which direction created the biggest change in driving behavior.

And ultimately, it comes down to serving the public. King and his department seek more ways to engage more people, and see where they get the most response. “People don’t think when they’re in a hurry that that’s dangerous,” explains King. “We just want them to consider their driving behavior no matter where they are.”