Coplink: A Case of Intelligent Analysis and Knowledge Management

Law enforcement agencies across the United States have begun to focus on innovative knowledge management technologies to aid in the analysis of criminal information. The use of such technologies can serve as intelligence tools to combat criminal activity by aiding in case investigation or even by predicting criminal activity. Funded by the National Institute of Justice, the University of Arizona’s Artificial Intelligence Lab has teamed with the Tucson Police Department (TPD) to develop the Coplink Concept Space application, which serves to uncover relationships between different types of information currently existing in TPD’s records management system. A small-scale field study involving real law enforcement personnel indicates that the use of Coplink Concept Space can reduce the time spent on the investigative task of linking criminal information as well as provide strong arguments for expanded development of similar knowledge management systems in support of law enforcement. 1