The Iowa State police department's dashboard tracking calls for service. It's updated daily and users can see a variety of information about police calls and which buildings are serviced most frequently. Screenshot by Deb Berger.
In the seven and a half-plus years Michael Newton has served as chief of the Iowa State police department he has made outreach and connection with the community a priority. One of the newest ways is the development and 2023 implementation of online public activity dashboards, tracking calls for service and arrests.
"We created the dashboards in an effort to be transparent and show the community the work that the police department is doing on campus," Newton said. "We want people to be aware of the types of calls for service we receive, the types of arrests we are making and the demographics of the people we are arresting."
The dashboards -- an enhancement to the monthly reports traditionally compiled -- are found at the top of the department's website and updated daily. Users can toggle between years, days of the week, specific locations on campus, reasons for call or arrest, and more.
"The truth is that we don't have a lot of crime on campus, making only a few hundred arrests a year," Newton said. "A lot of that is underage drinking, traffic and drug offenses."
Information is available back to 2020. It reveals alcohol and mental health are two consistent issues. They also are two areas the university continues to educate campus and provide resources for, Newton said.
Newton said he is looking for more ways to use department information, but compiling and sharing it is a significant financial and time commitment for the information technology team. He'd like to develop mapping that allows users to see where incidents occur across campus
Internal dashboards
The department uses non-public dashboards to identify trends across campus and adjust patrols accordingly.
"We can see where we are doing our most extra patrols, spending most of our time, where we are making traffic stops, all to ensure that we are concentrating on the things that are important to Iowa State," Newton said.
The information can be officer-specific to help a supervisor see areas where an individual performs well and where more training can be beneficial.
"It really helps us identify opportunities to help our officers grow and develop in their job," Newton said. "It can ensure we have a well-rounded officer."
Campus community
Newton said officers try to be present and approachable to faculty, staff and students on campus. From Friday T-shirt giveaways to fun social media engagement with Ferret Bueller, he called the practice the hallmark of the department.
This summer police officers conducted a required session during orientation for students and their parents. Newton said it helped build a stronger relationship with the first-year class and allowed parents to hear messages and resources available to reinforce with their students.
"This is a partnership, and the police are one aspect of it, but we all have to work together to really make an impact on our campus," he said. "If people are unaware, how can they get involved and help?"
The dashboards help keep the campus community aware. Newton recommends putting the department's phone number (294-4428) into your phone and downloading the Iowa State Safe app, which has push-button access through phone or email.
