Analyzing the Analyst
YAKIMA -- Bringing the Yakima Police Department into 21st century crime fighting. It's the vision of Chief Sam Granato and the motivation behind a pricey post as the department's crime analyst. Some have a hard time understanding the role of Cesar Abreu. Which is why KIMA wanted to spend some time with him.
KIMA wanted to know if he could produce the kind of results that prevent crime in Yakima, to better protect your family.
If a crime is committed in Yakima, if an officer is called to any neighborhood, if a report is filed, Cesar Abreu knows it.
"The bulk of data is immense," Abreu explained
After 24-years as a criminal investigator for the U.S. Army, Cesar Abreu is YPD's crime analyst department. He rifles through hundreds of police reports each week dealing with everything from purse snatchings to gang murders. What he learns, becomes usable intelligence to the officer on the street.
"With the network that I am able to pull together of analysts and other officers that information is now flowing," Cesar says. Where before it was very difficult."
"Starting up a program from scratch you need to have somebody who had the experience, the expertise in all the different analytical tools that are out there and our analyst brought that with him from his military experience," insists Chief Granato.
KIMA continued, "And that's directing your officers and your efforts and resources to areas of town that need it most."
"Absolutely, Granato agree. "We're not growing policemen on trees these days and there isn't any money coming to do that."
Something else that doesn't grow on trees: results. It can take years for a department like Cesar's to demonstrate it's worth the tax dollars being spent. Tens of thousands of pieces of data, applied to one criminal theory after another until something clicks. That's been a problem for some of the rank and file on the force. 18 months after the crime analyst position was created many here think more should be coming out of that office.
Cesar has been on the job 18 months. As for tangible results, Cesar has been keeping up with one of the department's most popular public efforts: a crime tracking program that lets you know where crime is happening. And the Chief says it's Cesar who now helps him focus where to send emphasis patrols.
This month's emphasis is using Cesar's analysis of gang associations, pin-pointing the newest hotbeds of gang activity, the key players involved and the relationships between gang members. And unlike past efforts, YPD's intelligence has this emphasis scattered city-wide, wherever bullets have been flying.
"You have someone that you can always go back to and say okay, Cesar. Can you go back and reach this person and get me this info? I know exactly where to go. Slowly, I'm building this unit, this capability that then all the officers will be able to use."
After talking to other Crime Analyst's departments in Central Washington, it became clear, understanding the role of the crime analyst comes with a learning curve. For most analysts, the job is tracking crime trends, sharing information between officers, and gathering statistics used to capture grants. A crime analyst does not predict when the next crime will occur.
"Sometimes I'm pulling my hair. I'm pulling my hair out," Abreu laughed.
Some consider hair-raising the cost of supporting the office. Taxpayers are spending more than $110,000 a year for their crime analyst. But, Cesar is no dummy. He knows there are those who question the Chief's decision to ever create this office.
"The value that I bring is to that police officer," he explains.
And that police officer is waiting to see if YPD's crime analyst can deliver.
KIMA wanted to know if he could produce the kind of results that prevent crime in Yakima, to better protect your family.
If a crime is committed in Yakima, if an officer is called to any neighborhood, if a report is filed, Cesar Abreu knows it.
"The bulk of data is immense," Abreu explained
After 24-years as a criminal investigator for the U.S. Army, Cesar Abreu is YPD's crime analyst department. He rifles through hundreds of police reports each week dealing with everything from purse snatchings to gang murders. What he learns, becomes usable intelligence to the officer on the street.
"With the network that I am able to pull together of analysts and other officers that information is now flowing," Cesar says. Where before it was very difficult."
"Starting up a program from scratch you need to have somebody who had the experience, the expertise in all the different analytical tools that are out there and our analyst brought that with him from his military experience," insists Chief Granato.
KIMA continued, "And that's directing your officers and your efforts and resources to areas of town that need it most."
"Absolutely, Granato agree. "We're not growing policemen on trees these days and there isn't any money coming to do that."
Something else that doesn't grow on trees: results. It can take years for a department like Cesar's to demonstrate it's worth the tax dollars being spent. Tens of thousands of pieces of data, applied to one criminal theory after another until something clicks. That's been a problem for some of the rank and file on the force. 18 months after the crime analyst position was created many here think more should be coming out of that office.
Cesar has been on the job 18 months. As for tangible results, Cesar has been keeping up with one of the department's most popular public efforts: a crime tracking program that lets you know where crime is happening. And the Chief says it's Cesar who now helps him focus where to send emphasis patrols.
This month's emphasis is using Cesar's analysis of gang associations, pin-pointing the newest hotbeds of gang activity, the key players involved and the relationships between gang members. And unlike past efforts, YPD's intelligence has this emphasis scattered city-wide, wherever bullets have been flying.
"You have someone that you can always go back to and say okay, Cesar. Can you go back and reach this person and get me this info? I know exactly where to go. Slowly, I'm building this unit, this capability that then all the officers will be able to use."
After talking to other Crime Analyst's departments in Central Washington, it became clear, understanding the role of the crime analyst comes with a learning curve. For most analysts, the job is tracking crime trends, sharing information between officers, and gathering statistics used to capture grants. A crime analyst does not predict when the next crime will occur.
"Sometimes I'm pulling my hair. I'm pulling my hair out," Abreu laughed.
Some consider hair-raising the cost of supporting the office. Taxpayers are spending more than $110,000 a year for their crime analyst. But, Cesar is no dummy. He knows there are those who question the Chief's decision to ever create this office.
"The value that I bring is to that police officer," he explains.
And that police officer is waiting to see if YPD's crime analyst can deliver.
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