NZ Police partners with Wynyard on crime prevention research

The New Zealand Police is now a partner of the Crime Science Research Institute (CSRI) of Wynyard Group, a crime analytics software and services provider.

The partnership supports the New Zealand Police’s continuous improvement program which uses crime research and problem orientated policing to better understand the criminal environment and to prevent crime and protect the public from harm.

“Our participation in this innovative new research and development centre is another signal of our intention to be the world’s most effective mobile and visible police service with high levels of public trust and confidence. Crime science research, combined with our major investment in mobile technology, will be a useful addition to our national Prevention First operating strategy,” Police Commisioner Mike Bush said in a statement.

Mike Bush, said the CSRI aims to bring together crime science research, operational know-how and advanced technology with one single-minded objective; preventing crime.

Crime science research, combined with our major investment in mobile technology, will be a useful addition to our national Prevention First operating strategy. Mike Bush, NZ Police

The New Zealand Policewill join the University College of London (UCL) Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, University of Canterbury and a Wynyard research team to design world-leading products and services that will help modernise crime prevention and policing in New Zealand and other countries.

The research and development conducted in the CSRI will initially focus on operationalising local and international crime science research, with a focus on crime prediction and forecasting to better manage the wider criminal environment. Persons of interest models underpinned by new technology when combined with crime prediction and forecasting creates a powerful crime prevention tool which can be used to monitor potential offenders and protect potential victims.

“We know that crime tends to be concentrated in particular locations, and also that 6 per cent of the population suffer 54 per cent of all crime. The identification of these crime patterns means that Police can ensure we have more of the right staff, in the right places at the right times,” said Mark Evans, deputy chief executive – strategy, NZ Police.

Wynyard invests more than $15 million in research and development each year and is investigating plans to relocate its CSRI to a modern facility in Christchurch to be close to the city’s new Justice Precinct and New Zealand Police operations.

The facility will become home to the 24 staff Wynyard has assigned to the CSRI, new PhD students the company will engage through the Callaghan Innovation RD Student Grants Scheme and Wynyard’s 60 engineers and developers.

We have access to some of the best research, crime prevention expertise and advanced technology in the world. I’ve been told by both US and British experts there is nowhere else in the world this could be done. Craig Richardson, Wynyard Group

Wynyard has developed game-changing products used by police services and governments around the world and the company sees opportunities to further extend technology and operational models developed together with the New Zealand Police for consumption in global markets. Its customers include Fortune 500 companies and leading government security agencies.

“This is not some No.8 wire initiative. There is real opportunity here,” said Wynyard managing director Craig Richardson. “We have access to some of the best research, crime prevention expertise and advanced technology in the world. I’ve been told by both US and British experts there is nowhere else in the world this could be done.”

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