D-DASC

D-DASC is putting a dent in crime in Colorado Springs. D-DASC stands for data driven approach to crime and traffic safety. Tuesday afternoon, Video Journalist Dennison Howard and I rolled up onto a search at an apartment complex off Platte near Tia Juana. One stolen car was recovered. The driver took off.

Lt Brian Ritz told me that so far on Tuesday the unit which has added motorcycle police recovered three stolen cars and one arrest. He explained to me the unit this way, “We’re looking beyond the stop, writing the ticket and looking to see if there is something else they can develop. They’ve done a good job identifying a lot of criminal activity.”

Lt Ritz says this unit targets an area of crime patterns and heavy traffic accident rates, “It has proven very effective. We’ve seen a drop in calls for service in the immediate area and the surrounding area. We’re not just pushing crime out of the area. We’re actually having an impact on the whole area.”

D-DASC is focusing on the area between Platte and Murray. It has been zeroing in on this area since January. The program location will be evaluated in March to see if this area will remain the priority.