Applied research project with Pensacola Police introduces innovative patrol planning tool to enhance community safety

June 23, 2025 | UWF Newsroom

This article is courtesy of the UWF Newsroom:

An applied research project led by Dr. Nicholas Hasan Buker, chair and professor in the Department of Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies at the University of West Florida, has produced a new evidence-based approach to designing police patrol beat borders. The goal of the project is to enhance the efficiency of police patrols and bolster community safety. Developed in collaboration with the Pensacola Police Department and funded by the City of Pensacola, the study introduces the Need for Patrol Presence Score, or NPPS, a data-driven approach to designing smarter, more effective patrol beat borders.

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