The following highlights some important developments since the publication of the CSO’s fourth review of PULSE data in 2021:
A key element of this is founded in data quality. Please see information-led policing on AGS website.
The vision defines data quality as fitness for purpose and embeds data quality as essential to the overall transformation of An Garda Síochána. This sends a strong signal to the organisation about the importance of data quality.
GardaSAFE (Situation Awareness for Enhanced Security) is the new CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch). It became operational for the North Western Region in March 2023 , in the Southern and Eastern regions in May 2023 and is due to become operational in the Dublin Metropolitan region (DMR) in October 2023.
GardaSafe involves increased integration with PULSE and will mean that more information will be captured by the CAD Call Taker and more information will be contained in the Garda Safe skeleton incident which is sent to PULSE when it has been updated to ‘closed’ by the Reporting Member (i.e., having concluded an initial investigation at the scene).
The implementation of CAD 2 will mitigate the risk of crimes being reported but not captured on PULSE.
The process of data quality checks by GISC and the Performance Accountability Framework (PAF) is complimented by the use of the data by Garda analysis and front line policing which feeds back into the data collection and data quality processes. For example, the ongoing rollout of mobile devices (13,000 have been deployed to date) enables Garda members to access PULSE even when remote from stations. This means that the same data collected from Garda members is used to provide them with information to do their work, emphasising the importance of high quality PULSE data.
This includes for example, the introduction of more mandatory fields for completion in PULSE, for example, on the relationship between victims & offenders (thereby allowing CSO to publish on this). In addition, the creation of new incident recording types and further integration of PULSE and CAD 2.
A detailed investigation was carried out by AGS into the cancellation of CAD incidents and how this could impact on the transfer of crime incidents to PULSE. It found that of the most serious crime incidents which should not have been cancelled, 141 would have resulted in a criminal incident being recorded. All 141 missing PULSE incidents were subsequently created on PULSE. In volume terms, this has a very small effect on published crime statistics.
On foot of this issue, AGS introduced additional mechanisms to ensure that incidents could only be cancelled for valid reasons when the potential issue was first highlighted in Q4 2020. The issue was flagged as part of the requirements and design process for CAD 2 which the CSO understands will greatly improve the ability to track a call from first reporting to incident to investigation to outcome.
The pilot project commenced in February 2022, and is due to conclude in Q4 2023. This project involves the implementation of a system of outcomes-based measurement for crime incidents. Data related to incident outcomes will provide significant additional information to stakeholders on why some crime incidents do not progress to a sanction.
In August 2023, An Garda Síochána completed and published a Review of the Quality of PULSE Crime Data for 2022, available at the following link: AGS Review of the Quality of PULSE Crime Data for 2022 (garda.ie). This review examined key aspects of data quality, including, inter alia, the timeliness of the recording of crime incident records on PULSE, adherence to crime counting rules and the recording of victims in PULSE incidents. The report found high levels of quality for the aspects of data that were examined. Insights from the quality checking will inform data quality work programmes in GISC. For example, in response to the finding that 8% of ‘Assault Minor’ crime incidents (original and additional samples combined) were found to be classified incorrectly, GISC has implemented a data quality coherency check focusing on ‘Assault Minor’ incidents.
This ICQ asked a series of control questions relating to the collection and quality assurance of PULSE data by AGS, covering:
AGS provided through this ICQ a range of detail providing assurance on the above. See Appendix 2.
A new MoU has been agreed between CSO & AGS which clearly stipulates the new quality management environment and data quality checks which must be done by AGS and communicated to users, while still allowing CSO to conduct reviews as appropriate. See Appendix 3.
