Historically, crime rates have always risen during summer months throughout U.S. cities. However, experts expect the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to compound this year’s summer crime wave.
The high unemployment rates throughout the U.S.; a dramatic decrease in travel, tourism, and vacations; and increased restrictions around social distancing will force law enforcement officials to meet unprecedented levels of crime this summer.
Property Crime
Seasoned officials predict an uptick in property crime as part of the first wave of incidents:
- Residential burglaries will not see significant increases, since so many families are sheltering due to stay-at-home orders.
- Residential property thefts will increase.
- Commercial and business burglaries—for instance, theft of vehicles or property from vacant businesses—will see substantial increases.
Armed Robberies and Domestic Violence
Strong-armed robbery—theft of property taken by force—will increase in middle-to-higher income areas. The businesses that remain open will be particularly vulnerable targets for armed robberies. Customers that interact in these commercial zones will also become targets for criminals
As already covered by media outlets across the U.S., there will be more cases of domestic disputes and domestic violence. During the coming summer months, law enforcement agencies will have to make concerted efforts to settle more cases of family violence, including child neglect and child abuse cases.
Many social services will reach maximum capacity this summer as more victims will report cases and require assistance. However, with reduced government tax income, lawmakers will have to make tough decisions and impose budget cuts on several programs.
Data Sharing Will Be Critical for Success
To address the projected realities for the coming summer, community decision makers and government agencies will need to collaborate. This means sharing crime trends, data, and information, and resorting to new policy ideas and innovative technology solutions such as Evertel.
A secure communication platform, Evertel is a technology solution that connects public safety workers and helps leaders collaborate, share ideas and information, and stay up to date with issues that come up in their communities. This technology solution helps leaders overcome the boundaries of limited information systems and will be crucial to improving performance and keeping community members safe during trying times.
Sharing data helps promote rapid responses to situations and trends that impact cities of all sizes and demographics. Intelligence and debriefings can be simplified and shared on the fly—during shift changes, for instance—to ensure every officer possesses the necessary intelligence before getting into their patrol car.
Communication Is Key
Virtual intelligence briefings will become the standard for public safety departments. Law enforcement and public safety officials must have the latest and most reliable data. Business owners and elected officials alike will also need the capacity to receive immediate updates on crime trends and enforcement efforts. Technology such as Evertel will assist in adapting to this trend.
This summer will bring new concerns and unprecedented rates of crime. Keep your community safe this summer and beyond by incorporating technology solutions like Evertel to keep communication crisp and information up to date.
