NYPD and Microsoft team up for crime prevention and counterterrorism technology

The New York Police Department (NYPD) and Microsoft have teamed up to develop a law enforcement technology solution, the Domain Awareness System (DAS), which will deliver crime prevention and counter-terrorism technology capabilities to worldwide law enforcement, public safety and intelligence agencies, among others in support of citizen safety.

New York Police commissioner Raymond Kelly said, "The system is a transformative tool because it was created by police officers for police officers."

"Its development is a testament to the talent and experience of our officers. And this agreement with Microsoft will allow the NYPD to continue to fund innovative counter-terrorism and crime prevention programs."

Based on Microsoft’s technical expertise and technologies, the customised NYPD DAS solution will help NYPD personnel to detect and analyse potential suspects in real-time and receive notifications regarding suspicious packages and vehicles.

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg added, "This new system capitalizes on new, powerful policing software that allows police officers and other personnel to more quickly access relevant information gathered from existing cameras, 911 calls, previous crime reports, and other existing tools and technology."

"It will help the NYPD do more to prevent crimes from occurring and help them respond to crimes even more effectively. And because the NYPD built the system in partnership with Microsoft, the sale of the product will generate revenue for the city that will fund more new crime-prevention and counterterrorism programs."

The DAS solution will soon be brought to market to extend its capabilities to other jurisdictions.