SmartForce®’s Blog

Idaho Springs PD Simplifies Compliance and Elevates Policing with CitizenContact

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Nestled in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Idaho Springs is a historic mining town of about 1,700 residents, drawing tourists for its scenic beauty and proximity to Denver. The Idaho Springs Police Department (ISPD) serves this tight-knit community, balancing public safety with limited resources. To meet modern policing demands, ISPD sought efficient solutions for stop data compliance and community engagement, leading to their adoption of CitizenContact.

For the Idaho Springs Police Department (ISPD), complying with Colorado’s SB 20-217 stop data mandates was a persistent challenge. The agency struggled to collect stop data effectively, missing opportunities to gain valuable policing insights. Enter CitizenContact®, a game-changing solution that streamlined compliance, empowered officers, and delivered actionable analytics. Here’s how ISPD transformed stop data collection into a strategic asset, offering a model for agencies collecting and reporting stop and contact data.

The Compliance Challenge

Before CitizenContact, ISPD relied on its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system to collect stop and contact data—a process fraught with issues. Submissions to Colorado’s state portal frequently triggered errors, requiring time-consuming fixes. Supervisors spent a lot of time data mining. Agencies navigating SB 20-217 may face similar challenges with stop data collection. While CAD systems are essential for dispatching, they weren’t designed for efficient stop and contact data reporting, leaving ISPD searching for a better solution.

CitizenContact’s Compliance Solution

CitizenContact transformed ISPD’s approach to compliance. Officers now log stop and contact data in just 60 seconds using their smartphones, even those less comfortable with technology. The intuitive interface eliminates complexity, ensuring accurate reporting without disrupting workflows. Monthly submissions to the state portal are seamless: a drag-and-drop process delivers zero errors, saving hours. “CitizenContact made compliance effortless,” says Sgt. Sonnenberg of ISPD. By simplifying data collection, CitizenContact frees the agency to focus on public safety efforts.

Beyond Compliance—Strategic Impact

CitizenContact’s value extends far beyond compliance, offering insights that enhance policing and leadership. Supervisors access real-time analytics to review officer performance, filter traffic stops by month, and monitor proactive policing efforts. These metrics help ISPD allocate resources effectively. ISPD also tracks high-visibility traffic enforcement initiatives with CitizenContact’s analytics, streamlining grant reporting to the state and monitoring performance. ISPD leverages CitizenContact’s analytics to deliver transparent council reports, fostering a shared understanding of policing and strengthening community trust. ISPD plans to leverage CitizenContact’s Tags feature to track automated license plate recognition (ALPR) hits, enabling evidence-based decisions to justify investments like additional cameras. Transparent data strengthens ISPD’s community relationships, aligning with modern policing priorities.

A Model for Agencies

CitizenContact transformed ISPD’s compliance burden into a strategic asset, delivering efficiency, insights, and trust. For agencies grappling with stop data mandates, ISPD’s success offers a clear path forward. By simplifying reporting, eliminating errors, and providing analytics, CitizenContact empowers departments to meet legislative requirements and elevate their impact. Ready to simplify compliance like ISPD? Contact SmartForce® for more information and a demo.

HB2724 and the Future of ALPR in Virginia: What Command Staff Need to Know

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

The Virginia General Assembly has passed legislation regarding the use and management of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR) that is expected to bring significant changes for law enforcement agencies. As the bill awaits the Governor’s decision in early May, command staff should proactively review their internal systems, policies, and reporting workflows.

This legislation is more than just a compliance update; it represents a shift in the expectations surrounding data oversight, transparency, and public trust.

Five Critical Questions for Command Staff

As agencies prepare for what’s next, these are the questions leaders should be asking now:

How are we currently collecting and reporting stop data for the Virginia Community Policing Act?
Can we accurately identify and categorize ALPR-related stops across our agency?
Are ALPR interactions tied to specific zones, neighborhoods, or patrol areas?
Do we have visibility into which officers or units are generating ALPR contacts and why?
If asked to explain our ALPR usage to council members, oversight boards, or the public and can we do so confidently?

The answers to these questions will determine whether your agency leads with clarity or plays catch-up under scrutiny.

How CitizenContact Helps Agencies Operationalize ALPR Oversight

Agencies already using CitizenContact to comply with the Virginia Community Policing Act are well-positioned to handle the demands of HB2724. The platform was designed to ensure law enforcement can meet policy requirements without adding unnecessary complexity to field operations.

Here’s how CitizenContact helps answer the questions above:

Structured Stop Data Collection

CitizenContact is built for real-time data capture that aligns with Virginia’s Community Policing Act. Officers document stops using intuitive forms that feed directly into your analytics environment—removing guesswork and standardizing your agency’s compliance efforts.

Real-Time Stop Data Capture
Built for Virginia’s Community Policing Act
Streamlined Officer Input
Seamless Analytics Integration
Standardized Compliance—No Guesswork

ALPR-Specific Tagging

Customizable Tags allow command staff to categorize ALPR-related stops by type: Stolen Vehicle Hit, Investigative Alert, and more. These tags surface context in reporting, so you’re not just logging a stop but explaining why it happened.

Customizable ALPR Stop Tags
Categorize by Hit Type (e.g., Stolen Vehicle, Investigative Alert)
Add Context to Every Stop
Smarter Reporting, Stronger Oversight
Go Beyond Logging—Explain the Why

Contextual Mapping Through Areas

All ALPR interactions are automatically linked to Areas defined by the agency (beats, zones, hotspots, etc.). This enables analysts and supervisors to identify trends, compare outcomes across regions, and ensure proper resource deployment.

Automatic Geo-Linking to Agency-Defined Areas
Tag Interactions by Beat, Zone, or Hotspot
Spot Trends & Regional Patterns
Compare Outcomes Across Locations
Deploy Resources with Precision

Group-Based Visibility

The Groups feature lets you view ALPR stop activity by unit, squad, or initiative—supporting transparency across teams.

From Data to Clarity—Before the Scrutiny Arrives

Should HB2724 become law, the spotlight on ALPR data will intensify. Requests from the media, oversight boards, and the public will demand that your agency not only has the data but can explain it clearly.

CitizenContact gives you that structure, one that turns daily activity into insight.

Lead the Conversation—Don’t Just Respond to It

Whether HB2724 is signed into law or not, the momentum toward greater transparency is here to stay. Agencies that act now will be better positioned to demonstrate accountability and strategic foresight.

Want to see how CitizenContact helps agencies manage ALPR oversight and stop data compliance?

Schedule a demo.

Catch up on our Virginia related blogs:

The Virginia Community Policing Act: Challenges, Trends, and Recommendations for Success

Turning Challenges into Clarity: How CitizenContact Tackles Homelessness, Drug, and Mental Health Issues

Understanding the Virginia Community Policing Act and Data Reporting Requirements

Turning Challenges into Clarity: How CitizenContact Tackles Homelessness, Drug, and Mental Health Issues

Chris Arvayo
Head of Government Compliance Initiatives

Why Stop-and-Contact Data Matters Now More Than Ever

In 2024, 771,480 Americans were unhoused—a staggering 18.1% jump from the year before. Fentanyl fueled 70%-80% of opioid-related deaths, and states like Virginia and Colorado mandate detailed reporting on police contacts that can be used to address these crises. Collecting and reporting stop-and-contact data is essential for transparency, helping agencies understand interactions, ensure fairness, and meet legal requirements. We’re with you—how can your team rise to this? We added Tags to CitizenContact® last month, and early data shows “Unhoused” is already a significant tag—higher in the last 7 days than the 7 days before. This blog shows how to take tag usage to the next level while streamlining data collection and reporting.

Unveiling the Crisis: Homelessness, Drugs, and Mental Health in 2024

The numbers tell a tough story. Homelessness hit a record high in 2024, with 771,480 individuals counted—a single-year increase of 18.1% from 2023 (1). Of these, 36% lived unsheltered, up 14% since 2020, driven by a housing shortage that’s left 12.6 million households spending over half their income on rent (1) Families and seniors bear the brunt. Drug trends worsen the picture: synthetic opioids like fentanyl accounted for 70%-80% of opioid-involved deaths from 2021-2024 (2). Methamphetamine use is prevalent among some unhoused individuals, often employed as a survival tactic, though the majority of homeless people do not regularly use drugs (3).

Mental health deepens the challenge. Research shows 25-30% of unhoused individuals have serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, a trend over the last decade (4). These conditions often intertwine with substance use, making contacts complex.

States like Virginia and Colorado have implemented laws to collect and report stop-and-contact data, focusing on transparency in police interactions. Virginia’s Community Policing Act requires data on all motor vehicle, pedestrian, and investigatory stops, while Colorado’s SB20-217 mandates reporting on law enforcement-initiated interactions—both covering a significant amount of police contacts. These laws emphasize demographics, stop reasons, and outcomes, making stop-and-contact data collection and reporting critical. CitizenContact not only meets these legislative requirements but goes further—adding data points like mental health, drug, and alcohol impairment, alongside features like Tags, Areas, and Groups. This enriched data lets agencies gain deeper insights into issues like homelessness and mental health, especially when paired with the right context.

How CitizenContact Transforms Stop-and-Contact Data into Action

With Tags, officers categorize interactions instantly—think “Unhoused” or “Fentanyl”—while CitizenContact tracks mental health, alcohol, drug, and crisis details, feeding reporting and analytic dashboards with real-time insights on interventions and trends.The Areas feature uses geofencing to let agencies configure hotspots, patrol boundaries, encampment zones, and more, pinpointing clusters like downtown mental health calls to guide deployments. The Groups feature organizes teams—CIT, patrol, or specialty units—tracking performance and service connections in real time. More than tech, it’s a tool to master data, meet and exceed legislative mandates, and deliver actionable insights.

Strategic Steps to Maximize Data Effectiveness

Here are three steps to leverage CitizenContact—perfect for new adopters or users optimizing their setup:

Build Comprehensive Insights into At-Risk Communities

Configure the “Unhoused” tag to track interactions with unhoused individuals, ensuring stop-and-contact data includes key details. Enhance this with Tags like “Service Referral Provided” to log connections to social services, “Shelter Transport Provided” to track relocations to safe housing, and “Repeat Contact” to identify individuals with frequent interactions, signaling potential unmet needs. Pair these with the Areas feature to deploy mental health or outreach teams where they’re needed most, addressing root causes effectively.

Address Critical Behaviors with Targeted Precision

Set up a “Fentanyl” tag to flag suspected use or distribution, leveraging drug impairment data in the contact report. Add complementary Tags like “Trespassing” to monitor related activities in high-risk areas, often linked to drug use, and “Public Complaint” to capture community concerns about drug-related incidents. Combine these with the Areas feature to map drug zones or complaint hotspots, then send CIT, patrol, or proactive policing units to intervene, reducing risks and enhancing safety in the community.

Optimize Operations with Data-Driven Strategies

Use CitizenContact’s reporting and analytic dashboards to review tag trends, pulling insights from your stop-and-contact data. Seeing a surge in Unhoused contacts tagged with Repeat Contact or Mental Health Impairment? Shift patrols or partner with mental health services to break cycles of crisis. Have you noticed Fentanyl and Trespassing Tags clustering in specific areas? Adjust resource allocation to address underlying issues. This mirrors the SARA model (Scan, Analyze, Respond, Assess), tailored to your data.

These steps turn raw data into real results—whether you’re starting fresh or refining your approach.

Unlock Smarter Policing with CitizenContact Today

Stop-and-contact data requirements under state mandates in places like Virginia and Colorado won’t wait, nor will the pressing issues of homelessness, drug challenges, and mental health. With CitizenContact, your agency doesn’t have to play catch-up on meeting these mandates for collecting and reporting stop-and-contact data. New to the tool? Contact us today to see how Tags, Areas, and Groups—plus our added impairment tracking—can transform your operations, ensuring compliance while unlocking deeper insights. Already onboard? Optimize your tags and contact reports now to enhance policing strategies, building on the early success of the Unhoused tag. From challenges to clarity, CitizenContact is your partner in building safer, compliant communities—let’s make it happen.

Cited Works

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2024). 2024 AHAR: Part 1 – PIT estimates of homelessness in the U.S. HUD User. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdf
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, December 5). Detection of illegally manufactured fentanyls and carfentanil in drug overdose deaths — United States, 2021–2024. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 73(48). https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7348a2.htm
Assaf, R. D., Morris, M. D., Straus, E. R., Martinez, P., Philbin, M. M., & Kushel, M. (2025). Illicit substance use and treatment access among adults experiencing homelessness. JAMA. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.27922
Padgett, D. K. (2020). Homelessness, housing instability and mental health: Making the connections. BJPsych Bulletin, 44(5), 197–201. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2020.49

The Virginia Community Policing Act: Challenges, Trends, and Recommendations for Success

Chris Arvayo
Head of Government Compliance Initiatives

The Virginia Community Policing Act, enacted in 2020, is a significant initiative aimed at fostering trust and transparency between law enforcement agencies and the community. The Act mandates that agencies statewide collect and report traffic and investigative stop data, including demographics, reasons for stops, and their outcomes. By offering insights into policing practices and addressing disparities in demographic information, this initiative has the potential to enhance the relationship between law enforcement and the community [1].

Effectively interpreting and using stop data is essential for achieving the transparency and goals outlined in the Act. Drawing on years of practical experience in law enforcement and extensive engagement with research and policy developments in this area, I thoroughly examine the trends, challenges, and opportunities revealed by four years of reported data. This perspective aims to offer analysis grounded in operational realities and evidence-based practices [2].

Four years of data reported under the Act allow for analyzing trends and identifying challenges that impact law enforcement operations and public trust. Stop and contact data provides valuable insights. However, interpreting it requires a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing policing practices. These factors include resource limitations, technology gaps, regional variations in enforcement priorities, community demographics, and crime patterns [3].

Urban areas often face higher call volumes, greater population diversity, and concentrated policing activities. In contrast, rural regions may struggle with challenges due to limited personnel covering vast geographic areas. Suburban areas typically experience a mix of urban and rural dynamics, leading to policing strategies tailored to local needs.

Understanding these regional differences is essential for adequately interpreting data and drawing meaningful conclusions that reflect the unique circumstances of each community. Research on rural crime and justice highlights these distinctions by emphasizing how geographic isolation, cultural influences, and resource limitations shape law enforcement practices across different settings [5].

Background: Virginia’s Community Policing Act

The Virginia Community Policing Act, signed into law in 2020, aims to enhance transparency and accountability within law enforcement. Acknowledging the need for reliable data to address concerns about bias and fairness in policing, the Act requires law enforcement agencies across Virginia to report detailed information on all traffic and investigatory stops. These reports must include key data points such as the driver’s demographics, the reason for the stop, whether an officer conducted a search, and the outcome of the stop [1].

Additionally, the Act mandates the annual analysis and publication of this data to identify potential disparities in policing practices and to assess public complaints regarding excessive force. Under the legal framework established by the Act, the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is responsible for compiling and analyzing the data. At the same time, individual law enforcement agencies are tasked with ensuring compliance in their reporting [2].

To promote transparency, the Act requires the police chief of each locality to post traffic stop data on a publicly accessible website. If no dedicated site is available, the chief must ensure that the data is accessible on another platform or provide clear instructions on how the public can obtain the data. This requirement underscores the Act’s commitment to making law enforcement practices more open and accessible to the community [3]. However, the implementation of the Act has faced significant challenges. Many smaller agencies, which comprise a large portion of Virginia’s law enforcement, struggle with limited staffing, resources, and technological infrastructure, hindering their ability to meet the requirements of the Act. For instance, 74% of local law enforcement agencies in Virginia have 50 or fewer sworn officers, with 36% employing 10 or fewer [4]. These resource limitations often result in incomplete or inconsistent data reporting.

The challenges faced by Virginia’s agencies reflect a broader issue in law enforcement across the nation. A guidebook released by the Center for Policing Equity and the Policing Project at NYU School of Law highlights that inadequate technical infrastructure is a key barrier to effective data collection and analysis for many agencies. It emphasizes that robust data systems are essential for collecting accurate and actionable stop data, which is critical for fostering transparency and equitable policing practices. Many agencies lack the resources to implement standardized systems, leading to disparities in the quality and consistency of reported data [6].

While the Act represents a significant step forward, understanding its impact necessitates carefully analyzing the data it generates. This includes identifying trends, interpreting disparities, and addressing the contextual factors influencing enforcement practices. As this blog will demonstrate, a deeper exploration of the data reveals both the potential and the complexity of using stop-and-contact data to promote fair and effective policing.

Trends in Virginia Stop Data

Over the past four years, traffic stop data collected under the Virginia Community Policing Act has revealed important trends that provide insight into law enforcement practices and their impact on communities. These trends highlight both areas of progress and ongoing challenges that require further context to address appropriately.

Volume of Traffic Stops

The total number of reported traffic stops in Virginia has varied yearly due to legislative changes, agency compliance levels, and public behavior. In 2023, over 949,000 traffic stops were reported statewide, representing a significant increase from previous years. This rise reflects improvements in reporting processes and expanded data collection efforts by law enforcement agencies [4].

Demographic Disparities

An analysis of the data consistently shows disparities in the racial and ethnic composition of individuals subjected to traffic stops. For example:

Black Drivers: In 2023, Black drivers accounted for a disproportionately higher percentage of traffic stops compared to their representation in the driving-age population [3].
Hispanic Drivers: Certain jurisdictions also reported overrepresentation of Hispanic drivers in traffic stop data [4].

These findings raise important questions about the contextual factors influencing these disparities, including enforcement priorities, regional crime rates, and variations in driving patterns.

Geographic Variations

Traffic stop data reveals significant variations between urban, suburban, and rural areas. Urban jurisdictions typically report higher volumes of traffic stops due to greater population density and enforcement activity. In contrast, rural areas often show lower reporting levels, which may reflect resource limitations and smaller populations [2].

Outcomes of Traffic Stops

The outcomes of stops — including warnings, citations, and arrests — also vary by demographic group. For instance, Black and Hispanic drivers are more likely to face searches and arrests following traffic stops compared to White drivers. According to the report, this trend warrants further investigation into potential disparities in enforcement practices [3].

Challenges in Data Collection and Reporting

The data collection and reporting requirements of the Virginia Community Policing Act have exposed significant challenges for law enforcement agencies throughout the state. These issues are not exclusive to Virginia; they reflect broader systemic problems in law enforcement data management nationwide. Over the last four years, several key challenges have been identified:

Inconsistent Reporting

A persistent issue has been the inconsistency in data submissions. Many smaller agencies struggle to meet the Act’s requirements due to limited staffing, training, and technical infrastructure. Sometimes, data submissions have been incomplete or excluded from analysis due to missing key fields or formatting errors [4].

Resource Limitations

Most of Virginia’s law enforcement agencies are small, with 74% employing 50 or fewer sworn officers and 36% employing 10 or fewer. These smaller agencies often lack the necessary resources to implement effective data collection systems, train personnel, and ensure compliance with reporting requirements [4].

Technological Gaps

The absence of standardized, statewide electronic data collection systems has forced many agencies to rely on manual processes, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies. This technological gap exacerbates the challenges of maintaining high-quality data and complicates practical efforts to analyze trends or disparities [3].

Balancing Transparency and Administrative Burdens

The requirement to publicly post traffic stop data creates additional administrative burdens for agencies, especially smaller ones. Ensuring that the data is presented in a way that is accessible and meaningful to the public demands resources that many agencies may not possess [3].

Actionable Recommendations

Addressing the challenges in collecting and reporting traffic stop data under the Virginia Community Policing Act requires a comprehensive approach. The following actionable recommendations aim to improve data accuracy, streamline reporting processes, and enhance public trust.

Implement an Agile and Standardized Data System

To tackle the complexities of data collection and ensure adaptability to legislative changes, agencies should invest in a scalable and flexible data system that supports evolving needs.

Validation and Accuracy:

The system should feature tools that minimize errors during data entry, allow reports to be amended with a clear audit trail, and ensure data integrity through systematic error correction and regular audits [6].

Real-Time Access for Supervisors:

Front-line supervisors should have real-time access to stop data for actionable insights. This enables supervisors to:

Monitor officer activity to ensure alignment with agency objectives.
Provide timely feedback to officers regarding performance and adherence to procedures.
Discuss data trends with community stakeholders to address crime reduction and neighborhood safety concerns.
Insightful Analytics: Supervisors can leverage stop data to:
- Respond proactively to community concerns about specific crime patterns or neighborhood safety.
- Identify patterns of stops based on officer assignment and geographic area.
- Enhance community engagement efforts based on data insights.
- Allocate resources effectively to align with agency priorities and community needs.

Customization and Privacy Protection:

Agencies should be able to customize data collection, such as tagging stops in specific hotspots or enforcement areas, while ensuring the anonymization of sensitive information to protect individual privacy [7].

Integrate Training and Policy Updates on Data Use:

Agencies should integrate training programs with updated policies to ensure adequate stop data use while maintaining transparency and community trust.

Policy Updates:

Develop clear policies outlining how stop data will be used internally for operational decision-making and externally for public transparency.
Include guidelines that support community engagement initiatives using insights from the data [3].

Training Programs:

Train stakeholders, such as supervisors and analysts, to interpret and communicate data insights without overwhelming front-line officers.
Incorporate real-world scenarios to demonstrate how stop data can be effectively utilized in public engagements and internal decision-making

Capture and Leverage Geographic Location Data

Incorporating detailed geographic data enhances the understanding of policing patterns and supports strategic decision-making.

Strategic Insights:

Analyze stop data by patrol area, district, or hotspot to evaluate the effectiveness of enforcement strategies [8].
Use geographic trends to allocate resources efficiently and monitor the impact of policing initiatives on crime reduction.

Public Engagement:

Share geographic data with community stakeholders to enhance transparency and provide context for enforcement priorities.

Create Agency-Specific Public Dashboards

Dashboards tailored to an agency’s needs provide valuable transparency and community collaboration tools.

Customizable Features:

Include visualizations of geographic trends, demographic breakdowns, and outcomes of stops.
Provide explanatory notes to help the public interpret data in context and avoid misconceptions [9].

Agency Ownership:

Design dashboards to reflect local priorities, enabling agencies to demonstrate their unique efforts and achievements.

Encourage Ongoing Evaluation and Adjustments

Adopting an iterative approach to data collection ensures continuous improvement and adaptability.

Feedback Mechanisms:

Solicit input from community members and law enforcement personnel to refine data collection and reporting practices.

Data Reviews:

Regularly evaluate the data quality to identify improvement in data collection and align with public expectations.

Conclusion

The Virginia Community Policing Act marks a significant advancement in enhancing transparency and accountability within law enforcement. Over four years of implementation, the data collected under this Act has revealed important trends, challenges, and opportunities for improvement. Although the process of gathering and reporting traffic stop data is complex, it offers a valuable basis for addressing public concerns regarding crime, fairness, and bias in policing.

Key findings from the data emphasize the need for ongoing attention to disparities, particularly in the impact of traffic stops on different racial and ethnic groups. Challenges such as inconsistent reporting, limited resources, and technological gaps highlight the necessity of investing in solutions that improve the quality and usability of the data. Agencies can tackle these challenges by adopting agile data systems, capturing geographic insights, and promoting transparency through tailored dashboards while fostering more substantial connections with their communities [3].

This blog provides an analytical overview of the data and challenges and actionable recommendations for enhancing data collection and reporting processes. When combined with thoughtful policy updates and continuous training, these steps can help agencies align with the Act’s fairness, transparency, and accountability objectives [6].

This journey requires collaboration among law enforcement agencies, policymakers, and community members. By leveraging the insights presented here, agencies can better understand their practices, reduce crime, address disparities, and continue building community trust. Every step forward signifies meaningful progress toward building stronger, safer communities where safety, transparency, and fairness are foundational to public safety.

Author: Chris Arvayo — Head of Government Compliance Initiatives @SmartForce®

Chris retired as a sergeant after 21 years of service with a major city police department. Over the past four years, he has specialized in law enforcement stop data collection, reporting, analysis, and ensuring compliance with legislative mandates. If you’d like to discuss insights or strategies related to this topic further, feel free to reach out to me at chris.arvayo@smartforcetech.com.

Cited Works:

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2021 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2021/RD420/PDF
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2022 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2022/RD533/PDF
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2023 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2023/RD340/PDF
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. 2024 Report on Traffic Stop Data Collected Under the Virginia Community Policing Act. https://rga.lis.virginia.gov/Published/2024/RD440/PDF
Weisheit, R. A., & Wells, L. E. Rural Crime and Justice: Implications for Theory and Research. https://nij.ojp.gov/library/publications/rural-crime-and-justice-implications-theory-and-research
Policing Equity. Guidebook on Stop Data Implementation. https://policingequity.org/images/pdfs-doc/COPS-Guidebook_Final_Release_Version_2-compressed.pdf
Project on Government Oversight. Best Practices for Law Enforcement Data Collection and Transparency. https://www.pogo.org/policy-letters/best-practices-for-law-enforcement-data-collection-and-transparency
COPS Office. Geographic Analysis Guide. https://portal.cops.usdoj.gov/resourcecenter/content.ashx/cops-w0558-pub.pdf
Policing Project. It’s Time to Start Collecting Stop Data. https://www.policingproject.org/news-main/2019/9/27/its-time-to-start-collecting-stop-data-a-case-for-comprehensive-statewide-legislation

Bridging Data and Trust – How CitizenContact’s Tags Feature Strengthens Modern Policing

Chris Arvayo
Head of Government Compliance Initiatives

Why Data Alone Isn’t Enough

Policing has always been about more than just enforcing the law. It’s about trust. It’s about communities feeling safe, knowing that officers are there not just to respond to crime, but to prevent it—and to do so fairly, effectively, and transparently.

Technology has given law enforcement agencies more data than ever before, and with the right tools, it has also given uniformed patrol officers more time to concentrate on proactive policing initiatives. But raw data without context and clarity? That’s just numbers on a screen. What agencies really need is a way to track the story behind those numbers—to see the patterns, to evaluate strategies, and to show the public how law enforcement is working in their best interest.

That’s where CitizenContact’s Tags feature comes in. It’s not just another data tool; it’s a way to turn routine contact reports into real insights—insights that improve decision-making and build community trust.

How the Right Data Changes the Game

Let’s be honest: No law enforcement professional wakes up thinking, “I need more paperwork.” The challenge isn’t just collecting data—it’s making that data useful.

With CitizenContact’s Tags feature, every police-community interaction can be categorized in a way that makes sense for officers, supervisors, and command staff alike. That means:

Better Tracking of Proactive Policing – Are hot spot patrols making a difference? Are DUI Task Force related stops providing valuable insights into enforcement effectiveness and deterrence efforts? With tags, agencies can see the impact of their initiatives—not just hope they’re working.
Smarter Resource Allocation – When leadership can quickly filter and analyze stop-and-contact data, they can adjust deployment strategies in real time instead of waiting for the next CompStat meeting to course-correct.
Greater Transparency and Trust – Community members want to know that policing is fair. Tags allow agencies to track trends and address disparities before they become a crisis.

Real-World Policing: Why This Matters on the Street

Picture this: Your department is getting pressure from the city council about the way traffic stops are being conducted. The media is asking for numbers. Community leaders want to know if there’s bias in how stops are made.

Instead of scrambling, imagine being able to pull up tagged data in seconds—showing exactly how and why stops were conducted, what areas were targeted for public safety concerns, and how the department is responding to real-time crime trends. That’s the power of structured data.

Or take drone-assisted responses and ALPR-related police contacts. Your agency has invested in drone technology to help locate missing persons faster, track down suspects or persons of interest more efficiently, and improve tactical awareness and ALPR technology to identify vehicles linked to crimes and outstanding warrants. The question is: Does it work? With tags, you can track every drone-assisted contact and ALPR-related police contact and analyze the geographic and demographic impact of these tools. This data helps law enforcement understand how these technologies affect different areas and communities, ensuring policing efforts are both effective and fair while also justifying continued funding with clear evidence of success.

This isn’t just about keeping records—it’s about making smarter, more informed decisions that impact real people.

Building a Future of Trust and Efficiency

Policing is evolving. The days of reactive, report-driven policing are giving way to data-informed, proactive strategies that emphasize accountability and community engagement. But to do that effectively, agencies need the right tools to track, evaluate, and communicate their efforts.

CitizenContact’s Tags feature is more than a checkbox for compliance—it’s a way to connect officers, command staff, and communities through data that actually means something. It allows agencies to:

Show their work – No more guessing. Every initiative, from mental health crisis response to traffic safety operations, can be documented and analyzed for effectiveness.
Make real-time adjustments – When leadership can see what’s working (and what’s not), they can adapt strategies immediately, not months down the road.
Strengthen public trust – When agencies can prove their policies are fair, transparent, and effective, trust follows. And in today’s world, trust is just as important as enforcement.

The Bottom Line

This is about more than data. It’s about smarter policing, stronger communities, and better leadership.

CitizenContact’s Tags feature gives law enforcement agencies the power to track what matters, fix what’s broken, and tell the real story of modern policing—one that’s based on facts, fairness, and proactive decision-making.

It’s time to stop letting others define the narrative. Own the data. Own the conversation. Own the future of policing.

Ready to see the impact for yourself? Contact us for a demo today.

Understanding the Virginia Community Policing Act and Data Reporting Requirements

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Introduction

The Virginia Community Policing Act, effective from July 1, 2020, marked a significant step toward enhancing transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices across the Commonwealth. This legislation mandates comprehensive data collection on all police stops to foster a culture of integrity and community trust. The benefits of collecting, reporting, and analyzing this data extend beyond mere compliance, supporting initiatives in officer wellness, training, and community engagement.

Overview of the Virginia Community Policing Act

The Virginia Community Policing Act was established to enhance law enforcement by promoting transparency and accountability in police-community interactions. The Act mandates detailed documentation of various police encounters, aiming to ensure that all interactions are conducted ethically and effectively. It requires officers to record specific details such as the race, ethnicity, age, and gender of individuals they stop, as well as the reasons for and outcomes of these stops, thereby supporting a culture of integrity and fairness in policing.

Data Collection Requirements

Under the Act, law enforcement officers must collect data for every motor vehicle stop, investigatory detention, and stop-and-frisk encounter based on reasonable suspicion. This data must include:

Demographic Information: Perceived Race, ethnicity, age, and gender of the person stopped.
Incident Details: Date, location, reason for the stop, and whether any searches were conducted.
Outcomes: Whether the stop resulted in a warning, citation, or arrest, and details of any charges or warnings issued.

Illustrative Stop Scenarios for Data Collection

To provide clear examples of when and how stop data should be collected under the Virginia Community Policing Act, here are some scenarios:

Scenario 1 – Traffic Stop for Violation: Officer Jones spots a vehicle exceeding the speed limit in a residential area. Adhering to traffic enforcement duties, the officer initiates a stop. Upon interaction with the driver, the officer decides to issue a warning for speeding, reminding the driver of the importance of adhering to posted speed limits for community safety. No further suspicion or investigation is warranted, and the driver is allowed to depart after the warning is documented. Despite its straightforward nature, this stop must be reported as it’s a motor vehicle stop that falls under the category of investigative detention based on the initial traffic violation.

Scenario 2 – Equipment Violation Stop: Officer Smith notices a car with a broken tail light during a routine patrol. Upon stopping the vehicle for the equipment violation, the officer observes signs of drug possession in plain view within the car, justifying a vehicle search. Officer Smith conducts a lawful search based on the plain view doctrine. Regardless of the outcome, this stop is reportable.

Scenario 3 – Traffic Stop for Violation: Officer Rivera is on routine patrol when she notices a vehicle that does not stop at a posted stop sign at an intersection. She initiates a stop and informs the driver of the reason for the detention. After verifying the driver’s license and registration, Officer Rivera issues a traffic citation for the stop sign violation.

Scenario 4 – Stop-and-Frisk on Foot: Officer Lee is on routine patrol in a high-crime area experiencing vehicle burglaries. He observes an individual checking vehicle door handles. The individual has a bulge in his clothing suggestive of a concealed weapon. Based on reasonable suspicion of burglary, Officer Lee stops the individual for questioning and conducts a frisk.

Scenario 5 – Checkpoint Detention: Officer Garcia engages with a driver who shows signs of impairment at a DUI checkpoint. The driver is subjected to further investigation since the checkpoint is non-discretionary, but the officer has reasonable suspicion of unlawful activity (driving under the influence).

Scenario 6—Terry Stop: At night, Officer Patel observes someone walking back and forth in front of a closed pawn shop, looking inside the window, and trying the door. Based on reasonable suspicion of potential burglary, the officer detains the individual to investigate further.

Scenario 7 – Passenger Detention: During a traffic stop for speeding, Officer Kim notices the passenger attempting to hide an object under the seat. The officer detains the passenger, who is now a specific subject of investigative detention, to inquire about the object and ensure officer safety.

Scenario 8 – Search Warrant Execution: Sergeant Robinson leads a team executing a search warrant at a residence where illegal weapons are suspected to be stored. The occupants are detained for the duration of the search to ensure the safety of the officers and to prevent any potential evidence destruction.

Scenario 9 – Traffic Stop Involving a Suspected Criminal Offense: Officer Martinez pulls over a driver for not using turn signals. While interacting with the driver, the officer observes several power toolboxes with retail anti-theft devices and becomes suspicious of trafficking stolen goods. The stop turns into an investigatory detention as the officer inquires about the contents.

Scenario 10 – Investigative Detention at a Perimeter Checkpoint: During a perimeter checkpoint established after a reported escape from a nearby detention facility, Officer Chang stops a pedestrian who matches the description of the escapee. Although the stop is part of the checkpoint protocol, the specific suspicion of this individual escalates it to an investigative detention.

Analyzing and Utilizing Data

The Virginia Community Policing Act mandates that law enforcement agencies collect and report stop data. However, this data is collected and reported for more than compliance purposes. It provides valuable insights that can aid in continuous improvement and help make strategic decisions within police departments. By leveraging this data, police departments can enhance their operations and strengthen their relationships with the community.

Proactive Operational Oversight: Utilize analytics to refine operational decisions and optimize officer deployment. Stop data insights ensure that policing is more effective, with every decision supported by robust data analysis, enhancing the responsiveness and adaptability of law enforcement strategies.
Empowerment Through Data: Provide officers access to personal performance metrics related to police-community interactions. This level of transparency promotes individual accountability and professional development. It aligns officer self-assessments with supervisory feedback, establishing clear and consistent performance standards that contribute to overall professional growth within the agency.
Strategic Resource Allocation: Employ analytics to allocate resources more efficiently. By analyzing data trends, your agency can ensure that resources are deployed strategically to areas most needed, maximizing operational efficiency and effectiveness in community policing.
Enhanced Training and Wellness Programs: Analyze detailed data to pinpoint specific training and wellness needs. This targeted approach allows departments to develop programs that directly respond to the identified needs, enhancing officer skills and well-being. Such programs not only improve individual officer performance but also contribute to the department’s overall health.
Accountability and Transparency: Maintain high accountability standards by making comprehensive data readily accessible. Transparent data sharing with the community and public officials builds trust and fosters a mutual understanding of policing activities and objectives, ensuring that all stakeholders are informed and engaged.
Community Alignment and Engagement: Law enforcement agencies can better align their activities with community expectations by making insightful data available to the public. This openness encourages dialogue and collaboration, fostering a relationship of trust and cooperation that enhances the effectiveness of community policing initiatives.

By embracing these strategies, law enforcement agencies can use the data collected to not only meet the requirements of the Virginia Community Policing Act but also to drive meaningful improvements in their interactions and relationships with the community.

Conclusion

The Virginia Community Policing Act is a pivotal legislation that leverages data to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community. By adhering to its requirements, police departments can enhance their operational transparency and accountability, thus building a foundation of trust and cooperation with the communities they serve.

Call to Action

We encourage all stakeholders, including law enforcement leaders, municipal leaders, and community members, to engage actively with the Act’s provisions. Participate in training sessions, utilize the state’s resources, and contribute to making community policing more effective while maintaining accountability and transparency. Your involvement is crucial in shaping the future of law enforcement in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Beyond Compliance: Harnessing Stop-and-Contact Data for Enhanced Policing in Colorado

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Introduction

Since enacting the Law Enforcement Integrity Act, starting with Senate Bill 20-217, signed into law in June 2020, Colorado law enforcement agencies have been required to collect and report comprehensive stop and contact data. This legislation, strengthened by subsequent bills, has mandated a wide range of data points, including stops, contacts, use of force, and more, to be publicly reported. Now that the statute has been in full effect for over a year and the initial implementation challenges navigated, it is an ideal time for agencies to shift their focus from mere compliance to using this data to improve their operations and community engagement substantially.

This next phase of evolution involves meeting the established requirements and using the accumulated data to significantly enhance the effectiveness, transparency, and community alignment of law enforcement efforts. By going beyond the basics of compliance, Colorado law enforcement can lead the way in innovative, data-driven policing that prioritizes safety and community trust.

Proactive Operational Oversight

Data analytics on stop and contact reports can transform raw data into practical insights. Law enforcement agencies can make informed decisions about their patrol operations by scrutinizing patterns and trends. For instance, if the data reveals an increase in rates of police-community interactions at specific times and locations, agencies can strategically optimize officer deployment to these hotspots. This ensures that resources are allocated effectively and enhances responsiveness, elevating proactive policing. Overall, this approach helps to fine-tune decisions and ensure that resources are allocated where and when they are most needed.

Empowerment Through Data

Offering officers access to their performance metrics can help facilitate professional growth and accountability. This transparency enables officers to assess and align their performance with the agency’s objectives, community expectations, and career goals. For instance, if officers observe a recurring pattern of specific proactive stops, they may seek additional training or guidance, proactively addressing areas of improvement for career development.

Strategic Resource Allocation

Data-driven insights play a crucial role for agencies in allocating resources with greater accuracy. By deploying personnel and equipment to the most critical areas, this strategic approach maximizes operational efficiency and fosters a proactive approach to community policing. For instance, analyzing patterns of police-community interactions can help agencies identify areas where proactive policing and community engagement are needed. By allocating more resources like additional patrols, community policing units, or crime prevention programs to these identified areas, public safety can be significantly enhanced. This targeted approach addresses current issues and can help prevent future incidents, reinforcing overall security and trust within the community.

Enhanced Training and Wellness Programs

Utilizing detailed data analytics that analyze police-community interactions can help identify areas where officers may require additional training or support, especially in high-stress roles. By creating customized training programs, specific needs can be addressed, skills can be improved, and officer wellness can be enhanced. This proactive approach not only improves individual officer performance but also enhances the department’s overall health.

Accountability and Transparency

Providing the public with access to comprehensive data is an effective way to ensure accountability and transparency. By sharing data on stops, outcomes, and use of force, law enforcement agencies can foster trust and mutual understanding. This openness helps demystify law enforcement activities and encourages community feedback, which is crucial in refining policing strategies to maintain public safety.

Community Alignment and Engagement

Using stop-and-contact data to align law enforcement activities with the community’s expectations and needs can lead to more meaningful and productive relationships. By openly sharing data and insights, conversations and collaborations can be encouraged, which can help establish a foundation of trust and cooperation essential for effective community policing. This alignment also ensures that law enforcement strategies comply with statutory requirements while aligning with community values and needs.

Conclusion

Colorado’s law enforcement agencies have a unique opportunity to transform policing practices beyond legislative compliance. By proactively utilizing stop-and-contact data, agencies can enhance operational oversight, empower officers, allocate resources strategically, and improve training and wellness programs. The path towards enhanced accountability and community-aligned policing fulfills legal mandates and profoundly benefits public safety and community relations.

Law enforcement leaders are encouraged to embrace these strategies to not only meet legal requirements but also seize the opportunity to significantly enhance the efficacy and perception of law enforcement in Colorado.

A Blueprint for Communication and Collaboration in Policing: Port St. Lucie’s Journey with SmartForce Ops Discussions

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Introduction:

Port St. Lucie is a vibrant Florida city boasting of rapid economic growth, cultural richness, and a firm commitment to public safety. It is the financial hub of the Treasure Coast and the sixth-largest city in Florida, with a population of about 260,000 residents. The Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD), led by Police Chief Richard R. Del Toro Jr., is at the forefront of ensuring public safety in the community. The department has adopted stratified policing, a proactive and data-driven crime reduction approach emphasizing transparency, accountability, and community involvement.

Stratified Policing: A Model of Excellence

The PSLPD pioneered the stratified policing model in the late 1990s, becoming a cornerstone of modern law enforcement strategies. This model is based on problem-oriented policing and prioritizes proactive measures and comprehensive data to tackle crime efficiently. The model has been adopted nationally and internationally, shaping the future of policing. Dr. Roberto Santos and Dr.Rachel Santos detail this model in their foundational text “Stratified Policing: An Organizational Model for Proactive Crime Reduction and Accountability.”

SmartForce Ops Discussions: A Tool for Communication and Collaboration

The PSLPD integrated the SmartForce® Ops Discussions app into their daily workflow to optimize their operations. This tool centralizes all critical information, from incident details to overarching crime trends and specific policing projects. The app eliminates the chaos of disorganized email threads and outdated bulletin boards.

With Operations Discussions, teams across crime analysis, patrol, and specialty units can effortlessly share bulletins, links, photos, and videos, all within a user-friendly application. This streamlining of resources has helped to significantly enhance collaboration and how information is shared, allowing officers to dedicate more time to the communities they serve.

Impact and Efficiency

Since implementing SmartForce® Ops Discussions in 2014, the PSLPD has reaped tangible benefits, especially in how Stratified Policing is administered at their agency. The enhanced communication facilitated by the app goes beyond the confines of traditional formats like email, fostering a collaborative environment that is both dynamic and secure.

The app’s robust tracking capabilities offer a comprehensive view of officer activity, from time spent on specific projects to the outcomes of those initiatives, such as arrests, contacts, and citations. These success metrics reflect the department’s dedication to accountability and transparency.

“Despite a 41.1% population surge in the last decade, Port St. Lucie has reduced its crime rate by 45.7%. Our effective policing strategies and integration of SmartForce® Ops Discussions have played a vital role in this achievement, making us one of the safest large cities in the nation.”
PSLPD Chief of Police Robert R. Del Toro, Jr.

Conclusion: A Vision for the Future

The PSLPD’s successful integration of SmartForce® Ops Discussions underscores the transformative power of technology in enhancing the effectiveness of law enforcement. The department’s journey is not just about adaptation but also innovation. The PSLPD’s story can serve as a model for other departments to adopt similar tools that can foster improved communication, operations, community relations, and public safety.

Learn more about how SmartForce® can help your agency improve internal communication and collaboration.

Transforming Police Work: How SmartForce Enhanced Crime-Solving in Carlsbad, NM

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Challenge Faced by Carlsbad, New Mexico PD:

Several burglaries had the Carlsbad community on edge. Traditional information-sharing methods proved inadequate, leading to slow progress in solving crimes.

SmartForce in Action:

A citizen’s alert about a suspicious vehicle was logged into the SmartForce Shift Briefing App., a game-changer in how police information is shared and accessed. Unlike the previous reliance on emails or briefings, SmartForce ensured that crucial details were readily available to all officers.

Breakthrough Moment:

Two months later, an observant officer matched a vehicle to the description in SmartForce. This quick access to accurate information led to a traffic stop, unveiling burglary tools and stolen items. The suspect’s confession to seven burglaries was a significant win for the Carlsbad PD and the community.

5 Key Learnings from SmartForce Implementation:

Collaborative information sharing boosts responsiveness and valuable crime intel.
High visibility across the agency eliminates redundant efforts.
Real-time updates on SmartForce foster recognition and case closure.
Organized data leads to informed decisions and lawful arrests.
The District Attorney praised the detailed data capture, vital for criminal prosecution.

Take it From the Top:

“Officers love the search engine. It is much better than email and makes searching for intel fast and easy.”
Carlsbad Police Chief Shane Skinner

Conclusion:

SmartForce turns information into actionable intelligence, leading to safer communities and more efficient policing.

Discover how SmartForce can empower your law enforcement agency. Start by scheduling a live demo.

Join us on the upcoming February 14, 2024 webinar, “From Data to Decisions: How the Prosper, TX Police Department is Utilizing an Integrated Solution to Drive Policing Strategies.”

SmartForce: Transforming Law Enforcement Strategy and Efficiency

The SmartForce® Team
SmartForce Technologies Inc.

Schedule a Demo

Breaking Down Information Silos

In the current era, law enforcement agencies grapple with complex challenges like staffing shortages and implementing data-driven policing strategies. The need for enhanced collaboration and information-sharing solutions is critical. Enter SmartForce – a solution for police officers, crime and intelligence analysts, front-line supervisors, and command staff. SmartForce provides operational efficiency for strategic policing initiatives.

How Smartforce Can Help Your Agency Become More Effective and Efficient

SmartForce ensures your agency is always connected and informed, moving beyond outdated email systems to operationalize policing projects and administrative functions seamlessly.

Streamlined Crime-Reduction Process: With SmartForce, coordinating crime and intelligence analysis recommendations becomes intuitive, allowing for strategic crime reduction and prevention with automated workflows and advanced search functionalities.

Data-Driven Strategies: The platform aids in the insightful evaluation of crime reduction and prevention strategies, which is crucial in an era of staffing shortages and limited resources.

Enhanced Decision-Making: SmartForce provides valuable insights for informed decisions, enhancing performance at all levels.

Community Engagement and Trust Building: It’s not just about solving crimes; it’s about building a community. SmartForce helps you plan, coordinate, and operationalize community policing initiatives in a unified workspace.

Anytime Access with Robust Security: As a CJIS-compliant web-based solution, SmartForce is accessible on multiple devices, ensuring security and convenience.

Key Features That Make a Difference

Shift Briefing App: Revolutionizes information flow between shifts, promoting coordination and efficiency.
Operations Discussions: Centralizes all vital information, from incident details to crime trends, in one organized space.
Significant Incidents App: Keep internal stakeholders informed about crucial calls for service and investigations.
Crime Analysis Tools: Empower crime analysts with practical tools for implementing informed policing strategies.
Command Alerts: Keeps the agency aware of critical safety, administrative, and crime-related information.
Community Requests Tracking: Ensures police-related public requests are documented and effectively managed.

Success Story: Prosper Police Department, Texas

A prime example of SmartForce’s impact is seen in the Prosper Police Department in Texas. With the integration of CAD and RMS data in SmartForce, they have enhanced their stratified policing strategy, and their Crime Analyst has saved approximately 15 hours of data mining and analysis weekly. This time is invested in high-value activities like tactical analysis and investigative support, significantly enhancing operational efficiency. Propser PD Crime Analyst Aidan Daily states, “The SmartForce CAD and RMS integration allows for effortless comprehension of these important data sets.”

Why SmartForce is Your Next Strategic Advantage

SmartForce isn’t just a tool; it’s a strategic advantage. It offers:

Time Savings & Financial Efficiency: Frees up your Crime Analyst’s time for critical tasks.
Enhanced Strategic Focus: Enables a deeper focus on high-value activities like hotspot identification and investigative support.
Unified Dashboard: Provides a comprehensive view of your CAD and RMS data, enhancing decision-making.

Take the Next Step: Request a Live Demo

We invite you to experience the transformative power of SmartForce firsthand. Sign up for a live demo and see how it can significantly improve your department’s efficiency and strategic decision-making.

Schedule a Demo