Law enforcement analytics – 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

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.