The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is pleased to announce the official launch of the Department’s Public Data Sharing Project and the creation of the Chief Data Officer role.

This collaborative effort involved the LASD Professional Standards Division, LASD Technology & Support Division and the Office of the Inspector General to release one of the nation’s most comprehensive data sets from a law enforcement agency. The Public Data Sharing Project begins with a reporting of Deputy Involved Shooting information.

“From my first day as Sheriff, I have sought to set a clear tone underscoring that the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is accountable to those we protect and serve and that we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of integrity and constitutional policing,” said Sheriff Jim McDonnell. “We must continuously earn the trust of our community. This starting point, and my abiding commitment to partnering with our County’s rich and diverse community, has been a guide post for me throughout my decades in law enforcement.”

The initial launch provides the public the opportunity to review deputy involved shooting data between 2010 and the present. This is the first of several data sets to be released. The remaining categories will include use of force, public complaints and employee discipline to name a few. The data which is connected to the LA County Open Data Initiative provides tools that enable the public to view the information in a map, bar graph or pie chart. The information is customizable and downloadable in different formats based on user preferences.

During the development of the Public Data Sharing Project, the LASD worked in consultation with the Sheriff’s Department executive team, the Office of the Inspector General, labor unions and best practices recommended by academics and similar law enforcement agencies who have developed their own data sharing initiatives.

The LASD has also been an active member agency on the White House Technology and Data Innovation for Transparency and Accountability in Policing program since its inception in April 2015. Division Director, Dean Gialamas, who serves as CIO for the Sheriff’s Department, has represented the LASD in this effort and that experience helped shape the need for a department chief data officer.

“Honest and transparent communications, and open data sets like those we have released, build trust and confidence with the public. The creation of a Chief Data Officer, the first in law enforcement, allows the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department to leverage community partnerships to enhance public safety and risk management decision making,” said Gialamas.

Assistant Director, Wendy Harn, a 30 year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department and the creator of the department’s Crime Analysis Program, has been appointed to the role of LASD Chief Data Officer.

“My hope is to transform the vast amounts of data we generate every day into meaningful information that can help us and the public better understand what the Sheriff’s Department does and to give context to relevant events as they occur,” said Harn, “We hope the sharing of data will leverage public partnerships with us to create and sustain safer communities.