The Anne Arundel County Police Department has launched a new public-facing Response to Resistance and Aggression Dashboard, allowing members of the public to see real data regarding Response to Resistance & Aggression information. The dashboard, which will be updated quarterly, provides the public with an opportunity to review raw data and the type of force used, including de-escalation.
County Executive Steuart Pittman expressed his enthusiasm for the new dashboard, calling it a step towards greater transparency. “Transparency informs all parties, builds trust, and creates better services. I applaud this step forward by our Police Department,” he said.
The dashboard is part of the department’s efforts to increase transparency, and more data will be added over time. In the future, the public will be able to access traffic stop data and officer complaint information.
“Making information publicly available to our community creates a culture of transparency and cooperation which is vital to maintaining public safety and effective policing,” said Anne Arundel County Chief of Police Amal E. Awad. “This is only the first iteration of our Dashboard, and we look forward to providing more data as we continue to improve this tool to afford community members the opportunity to view and analyze critical information.”
The Dashboard is accessible to the public and can be found on the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s website. Visitors can filter results and read departmental policies with the click of a mouse. Additionally, the website provides the public with the ability to file a Public Information Act (PIA) or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for specific information.
The department’s focus on transparency is in line with the broader trend in policing across the country, as departments seek to improve relationships with their communities.
In recent years, there have been several high-profile incidents of police using excessive force, leading to calls for increased transparency in police departments across the country. The use of body cameras and the creation of public-facing dashboards are two ways that police departments are working to address these concerns.
The Anne Arundel County Police Department’s Response to Resistance and Aggression Dashboard is a positive step forward in building trust between the department and the community it serves. By providing real data to the public and inviting them to review departmental policies, the department is taking concrete steps towards greater transparency and accountability.
As Chief Awad noted, this is only the first iteration of the dashboard, and the department plans to continue improving the tool to provide even more data in the future. By doing so, they hope to continue building a culture of transparency and cooperation, which is essential for effective policing and maintaining public safety.
Overall, the Response to Resistance and Aggression Dashboard is an excellent example of how police departments can use technology to improve relationships with their communities. As more departments adopt similar tools, we can expect to see increased trust between police officers and the communities they serve.