The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | December 2023
Continued from previous page Bridging the trust gap : Data transparency and community engagement Critically , data-driven departments are better equipped to continuously build trust with their communities while creating clarity of purpose for their officers and staff . Proactive , data-informed dialogue with community groups drives better alignment and replaces interactions based on no data or stale data . When the department and the community operate as trusted partners , officers have better clarity on the projects or initiatives that matter — and why they matter — or why they may shift . When strategy and purpose is more seamlessly understood at every level of the organization , officers can channel an inspiring amount of positive energy into their daily work .
These factors help create a culture where officers and staff are exceptionally empowered to lean in and “ own the mission ” of the organization — and the impact of their work becomes more apparent to themselves , their colleagues , and their community .
The trends of using data to curb crime and to support officers are closely intertwined . Public safety organizations that adopt a data-driven mindset have an incredible opportunity to concurrently enhance recruitment , retention and prosperity within their departments and the communities they serve .
About the author Nick Noone is the co-founder and CEO of Peregrine . The company brings data integration and analysis capabilities to public servants in municipal , regional and state governments . He is a data scientist and technology entrepreneur , focusing on national security , law enforcement and public safety missions .
Prior to Peregrine , Nick ran the U . S . Special Operations ( SOCOM ) business at Palantir Technologies . In this role , Nick was esponsible for creating the special operations community ’ s global real-time situational awareness platform , which is utilized by over 18,000 personnel across six continents . Nick received his M . S . in Statistics from Stanford University and his B . A . in Economics , also from Stanford . During his time at Stanford , Nick competed as a gymnast on the university team , winning two national championships and four All-American titles .
Drones are an Essential Public Safety Tool — With the Right Technology and Safeguards
By Charles Giblin
New Jersey , our nation ’ s most densely populated state , has critical infrastructure that serves as the connective tissue for much of the Northeast . Linking New York to Philadelphia — an near to Baltimore and Washington , D . C .— makes that infrastructure even more critical . Newark Airport , the Port Authority , New Jersey Transit , Amtrak , the George Washington Bridge , the Lincoln Tunnel , the Delaware Memorial Bridge , and more are essential for the transportation of people and goods . Now add a multitude of electrical stations , nuclear reactors , oil refineries , manufacturing plants , water treatment facilities , hospitals , railroad lines , and data centers . Taking down just a single bridge , server farm , substation , or pipeline could have paralyzing cascading effects through the state , the East Coast , the country , and the world .
With continued conflict in the Mideast , China saber rattling over Taiwan , the Russian invasion of Ukraine , and the growing apprehension that we will once again experience an upsurge in terrorism , New Jersey remains a prime target of terrorist , extremists , and hostile foreign governments seeking to penetrate our vast networks for the purpose of causing disruption .
Yet we permit drones made by these same foreign adversaries to soar above our critical infrastructure , potentially mapping and imaging our most sensitive sites . About 85 % of the drones use by U . S . police and sheriffs come from China , and New Jersey law enforcement departments are no exception . Most are made by the PRC-subsidized company , DJI , which the U . S . Department of Defense identified as a “ Chinese Military Company ” in October 2022 . An investigation by The Washington Post and security company IPVM revealed that , despite the drone maker ’ s claims to the contrary , DJI is indeed underwritten by Beijing . These are the same drones used by Hamas , Russia , and Iran . These are the same drones used by Hamas , Russia and Iran .
Drones can carry high-tech collection payloads , enabling surveillance and possible sabotage . Their capabilities include imagery gathering , signals collection , and other vectors of espionage .
New Jersey police have good reason to operate drones . Faced with unprecedented retirements , defunding , recruitment shortfalls , and other challenges , our noble 18 men and women of New
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