teamdb-neighbourhood-database2

TeamDB - uniﬁed neighbourhood team database
Overview
CrimeMapper, the RKH-developed online crime mapping application, is set to go live nationally later in 2009.
Part of the CrimeMapper system allows public users to access local neighbourhood team policing
information based on the current map location.
A key aim is to display this effectively and consistently to the public, irrespective of force boundaries, so that
the same type of high quality, accurate and up to date information is available across the country. In order to
achieve this, neighbourhood team information is required from all forces in the same uniform consistent
format.
During the process of gathering and collating individual neighbourhood team data across forces into a
uniform format, it is important that the methods used to do this facilitate openness and reuse of the data in
future applications, and are simple to achieve in the ﬁrst place.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
Page 1

Introducing TeamDB
Recent talks facilitated by the NPIA have led many forces to agree to produce the relevant neighbourhood
data in a consistent digital form - a web-accessible XML feed structured using a suitable custom schema.
However, the technical abilities of individual forces are varied:
• some are already using suitable database systems and so are able to produce a live XML feed
automatically,
• some have the ability but may require some internal development to produce and publish the XML,
• others have no ability to produce the XML feed at all, and currently ʻhard codeʼ their neighbourhood
information directly into static pages on their website
TeamDB is a web application that aims to address these problematic differences by bringing less able forces
up to speed quickly and easily through a web interface.
Outcome of using TeamDB
The result of implementing TeamDB will be a single uniform source of accurate and up to date
neighbourhood data that is readily available for reuse in CrimeMapper, future NPIA applications and by
individual forces.
TeamDB features
The focus of TeamDB is ﬂexibility and simplicity - it must cater for the needs of less advanced forces. We
have split forces into two groups - ʻnoviceʼ forces unable to produce an XML feed, and ʻadvancedʼ forces who
can produce an XML feed (and maintain it over time).
TeamDB is web-based - there will be no IT requirements at the force end (no software to install, maintain and
keep up to date), other than ensuring that a key contact has access to a modern web browser and is able to
access the internet.
Features aimed at both audiences are described overleaf.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
Page 2

Novice forces
Novice forces are classed as those that are unable to produce an XML feed because they either do not store
their neighbourhood information in a database, or are unable to easily publish their database as XML. We
have assumed that these forces are basically starting from scratch and need some way of specifying
neighbourhood information in an easy to manage form.
The TeamDB web interface will allow novice forces to quickly and easily:
• Add and manage an unlimited number of neighbourhood areas that match their force structure
• Make unlimited edits to any number of neighbourhood areas
• Provide key information relevant to that area (see appendix A, an RKH speciﬁcation document
regarding information that appears in the ʻFind Out Moreʼ tab of CrimeMapper at NPT level)
• Add and manage an unlimited number of ofﬁcers within any neighbourhood area:
• Manage ofﬁcer details and which areas they belong to
• Upload ofﬁcer images or refer to the URL of an existing image within their own force website
• Make unlimited edits to individual ofﬁcer information
• Batch-add ofﬁcer information across multiple areas:
• Download an empty CSV template to assist with population at the force end
• Upload a full CSV ﬁle with many ofﬁcers to save time adding them individually
Advanced forces
It is assumed that these forces will have already produced their own valid XML feed of neighbourhood teams
and are able to publish this online. It is important that in these cases, forces are not required to maintain their
neighbourhood information in two places.
To include their data in TeamDB, they are required to specify the location of their XML feed on the web.
TeamDB will periodically access the force-managed XML feed and import it, ensuring that the TeamDB
database is kept up to date.
Forces wishing to switch to advanced mode from novice can do so at any time.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Mockups
We have produced these mockups to help visualise how the web-based TeamDB interface could work for
forces. Features are subject to change, depending on speciﬁc requirements (XML schema, etc.).
Fig. 1: All forces have access to a control panel that gives an overview of all neighbourhood teams. Forces
can easily see which areas are lacking content, and can click to directly access the editor for any given page
or team. Columns can be sorted to, for example, show the most recently updated teams.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Fig. 2: Each neighbourhood team is split into logical tabs, allowing forces to quickly browse between different
types of data. The overview tab shown allows forces to specify key parts of information about the area.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Fig. 3: Individual ofﬁcers can be added directly to a team or created as required. Once created, they can be
dragged into a speciﬁc order. TeamDB can also be used to host ofﬁcer images, or forces can specify a URL
to the image on their own website.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Fig. 4: The settings page allows forces to easily switch between one mode and the other. Here, the force has
opted for novice mode, so they are able to import ofﬁcers from a CSV ﬁle, or even reuse their new TeamDB-
produced XML feed in other applications. Advanced forces just need to specify the URL of their XML feed.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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What TeamDB gives back
With a single uniﬁed data source for all neighbourhood teams in England and Wales, CrimeMapper is able to
use the data within the ʻFind Out Moreʼ tabs, without requiring forces to separately manage or re-key the
information in multiple systems.
Additionally, those forces previously unable to produce an XML feed will now have one that mirrors the same
feed made available by those that can do it themselves, along with hosting for their ofﬁcer images.
Ultimately, TeamDB will result in every single force being at the same level in terms of published
neighbourhood data. Novice forces could potentially then reuse their own TeamDB XML feed within the
pages of their own site, with little or no extra cost or IT requirement at the force end.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Future options
Bringing together all neighbourhood team information in a clean, uniform format allows for easy to implement
future developments. The ideas below would need to be separately quoted for, but we would ensure that
TeamDB was extensible enough to facilitate them.
Further assistance for novice forces
Some forces may never be able or want to produce their own XML feed. In those cases, the forces would be
able to cut and paste ʻlive snippetsʼ of HTML from TeamDB directly into their own websites. If any data is
altered via TeamDB, it is automatically reﬂected on their own website. This could come in several ﬂavours,
dependent on force abilities:
• Basic embed code - forces customise how the team information looks via TeamDB to match their
own website
• Normal embed code - team information is pulled directly into the force website, where styles applied
at the force end deﬁne how it looks
• Advanced embed code - individual XML or JSON feeds could be returned, allowing forces to further
manipulate the team information at the force end
Web service and API
A full web service and set of APIs could be developed that would allow forces (and potentially other
organisations) to fully query and return results from the complete data set that will be held by TeamDB. This
has many applications:
• Localised neighbourhood websites with accurate embedded police data
• A national ofﬁcer contact directory
• Geographic equal opportunities monitoring by analysing race/gender/etc. of ofﬁcers in relation to
areas
These are just a few examples, but there are many more possibilities yet to be realised that a valuable
dataset like TeamDB could provide via an API.
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
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Appendix A - Data shown in CrimeMapper at NPT level
The following data categories are recommendations made by RKH for data stored at NPT level - TeamDB
will facilitate these where relevant.
• Overview of neighbourhood area - including any stations or points of contact relevant to this area
• Neighbourhood team proﬁles:
• Name of ofﬁcer (e.g. ʻPC John Smithʼ)
• Photo of ofﬁcer (and default silhouette image if photo not present)
• Badge number of ofﬁcer
• Contact details (e.g. telephone and email)
• Short biography (e.g. ʻI joined the force in 1989 and love the area I work in. If you ever see me
on the beat, please say helloʼ etc.)
• Local priorities - a list of priorities and how the local team are tackling them
• Events and meetings
• What weʼve done - previous priorities, how they were addressed and the eventual outcome and
improvement
• Get involved - Calls to action and ways to contribute to the issues within an area
• Policing pledge - standard policing pledge for the force
• Links to websites relevant at this level
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
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Appendix B - Assumptions
RKH will:
• Design and develop TeamDB
• Host ofﬁcer photographs uploaded via the novice interface
• Generate and host web accessible XML feeds for all forces
The NPIA will ensure that:
• All forces are aware of the requirement to either manage data via the TeamDB interface, or by
providing TeamDB with their own XML feed
All forces are responsible for ensuring that:
• Neighbourhood data is accurate and up to date
• The relevant contact at the force has login access to TeamDB
• The TeamDB login details are maintained properly and securely
Novice forces are responsible for ensuring that:
• Any ofﬁcer CSV upload ﬁle generated meets the system requirements in the template
Advanced forces are responsible for ensuring that:
• Their XML feed meets schema requirements
• Their XML feed is freely available via an HTTP web URL
• Ofﬁcer photos and other ﬁles referred to in the feed are hosted reliably
Neighbourhood teams database proposal
Commercial in Conﬁdence
18 June 2009
Page 11