Crime Analyst Darcy Purvis

Within a police department there are many different positions and duties an individual may have. Usually when someone thinks of a police department they instantly picture a police officer, but a department branches off into different sworn and non-sworn employees that help deter crime and keep the community safe. A crime analyst is one important component in a department because they provide the officers with statistics on when, where, and what crimes are occurring within the city. I conducted a face to face interview with crime analyst Darcy Purvis; Purvis and I engaged in short, but informative interview that provided me with detailed facts about what it is like to be in the shoes of a crime analyst in the city of Irvine.

Analyst Purvis is currently employed by the Irvine police department, and is the senior crime analyst. Before she got to where she is now Purvis informed me of the stressful, but worthwhile journey she encountered. Purvis told me that getting an education is the key to a successful life and career, which is why she feels accomplished about everything she is now and will become. Within Purvis educational life she has graduated with a

Bachelors, ABD, and a Masters of Public Administration. Purvis first received a BA in sociology and Criminal Justice from Cal State Fullerton in 1996, then after two years she went back to school to from 1998-2005 where she graduated from UC Irvine with a ABD in Criminology, Law and Society. Purvis told me that she did not what to stop there, she wanted to further her education so she attended California State University of Northridge from 2011-2013 and graduated with a Masters of Public Administration in non-profit management. Purvis level of education opened many doors for her and allowed her to have different perspectives in law enforcement.
To continue, Purvis has been involved with the field for 20 years whether it be employment or volunteer. Before Purvis became part of the Irvine police department she was an office manager at a paralegal law office for 11 years. At the department Purvis told me she is actually the supervisor for the crime analyst unit, but that she still needs to report to a lieutenant in investigation. Purvis continued with how her experiences and education allowed and encouraged her to volunteer with multiple organizations that seek to help others. Purvis told me about two non-profit organizations she is involved with named “The Africa Project and “ With my Own Two Hands Foundation.” The Africa Project helps provide a difference in the lives of families and children in South Africa who have been affected by poverty and HIV/Aids, and the mission of, With My Own Two Hands Foundation is to inspire consciousness, encourage activism, and spark a social revolution for change. Specifically, we raise funds to assist NGOs (non-governmental organizations), which are mainly orphanages and schools in Africa that help support and build projects that benefit children in Africa. She was also a yoga instructor at the orange county juvenile probation hall. Purvis then continued to discuss how a crime analyst is defined in the city of Irvine.
The Irvine police department defines crime analysis as a set of systematic and analytical process directed at providing timely and pertinent information relative to a crime patterns and trends (City of Irvine,2018). Purvis continued with the book definition of what a crime analysis is, which states analyst support a number of tasks in a department including patrol deployment, special operations, and tactical units etc. The Irvine crime analysis unit currently tracks preventable crimes that are preventable or deterred by a marked police unit patrolling the city. Purvis states that the mission of the department is to provide an accurate informational support to line operations and investigators. I furthered the interview by asking Purvis what her opinion about the job is and she answered by saying that it is exciting to put clues and facts together to catch the bad guys, but with a responsible like this the job can be awfully stressful. She also said it is a great way to help the community without carrying a gun and it is also amazing how it everyone in the department contributes in a part to deter crime. Purvis mentioned that the best of all is the good benefits and the way everyone feels like a family.
Furthermore, some achievements and recognitions she is most proud of are not only her own, but the crime analyst unit as well. Purvis said one thing she is proud of is that her job opportunities allow her to help families and children in Africa yearly. Another recognition she is proud of is the fact that one of her crime analyst’s work was acknowledged and won a state award for creativity and excellence. Not only did one analyst get noticed so did the whole unit as a team and they were recognized at state level. To continue, I asked Purvis a series of questions on the education, experiences and skills needed to acquire a job in the field. She was very clear and straight forward with the necessary requirements one would need to have a for certain opportunity. She said a Bachelors in Criminal Justice is an absolute requirement to be considered for the job because one must be educated on the law and crime to be a respectable and reliable candidate. A masters is not something that is essential, but she said if one plans to stay in the field for a long period of time or if they want to move up to supervisor getting a masters should be considered. A masters in Criminal Justice does not necessarily have to be the degree one should get, a masters in any of these categories are acceptable: Public administration, Criminal Justice, Leadership, or Business.
A degree is only one element needed to be an analyst; one will also need a certificate for the state of California to get the job. Some skills that are needed would be to as detailed as possible because the more information an analyst provides in their findings the best it is for the officer, and also one must be ready to work under pressure and at a high pace environment, and most importantly Purvis says accuracy is crucial. During the interview I asked Purvis about the daily task a crime analyst does. She advised me that she typically reads reports about crimes that have occurred within the last couple of days. After analyzing those crimes, her and the crime analysis unit create documents for patrol briefing, produce bulletins, and work with detectives to identify suspects. Crime analyst also help patrol officers by telling them where and when things are happening and who to look for and help sheriffs make strategic decisions, for example, notifying them about the busiest parts of the city and fixing the response times. Some challenges that come from these tasks is the time management because there is a lot of demand for information, especially when there is an unexpected task given to them by a detective. Also, after the crime analyst collect the data the public information officer ( P.I.O) sends out messages warning the community about specific crimes happening in the area, and they also use social media and the app next door neighbor to send out crime information.
Moreover, Purvis believes a suitable relationship between an analyst and other personnel in the department is crucial to provide the best help to the community. She expands on her opinion by mentioning that the main thing an analyst does is work with other personnel, so if there is no relationship the job will not be done successfully. She also states crime analyst must earn the respect of an officer/ detective, so that they read the products they produced, and ask them for assistance when needed; she says this trust builds with time and that she has never experienced any inequality because she is a woman. Additionally, Purvis adds that having a relationship with bordering cities is important because they can share crimes linked to their jurisdiction and also by sharing bulletins and offenders.
The Irvine police department uses different methods to conduct their data.

The crime analyst unit uses the UCR to report their data. Currently the department does not use NIBRS, but Purvis stated that by 2020 every department is required to start using NIBIRS to report crimes. I asked Purvis if they use VICAP to report violent offenders, she said they do, but the detectives handle that. The crime analyst unit also uses both quantitative and qualitative to conduct data because they need to put as much information as possible, such as using maps with numbers and words used to identify crime trends. The department also uses strategic, operational, intelligence and administrative techniques to Intel offender specifics. Some soft wares used are: ARC map, ESRI map, CAD, RMS, cellphone soft wares, and

Microsoft.
Lastly, Purvis informed me about the demographics of the city of Irvine and what types of crimes occur. The city of Irvine has a population of 267,086 inhabitants and is growing every day. The city is split up into three geographical areas, the Crossroads, University, and Portola. In Irvine crime is low, but there is no shortage of crime and the biggest portion of crime is theft about 30% is vehicle theft. Irvine’s violent crime rate is 57%, and most of the offenders come from other cities mostly from LA county. The Irvine police department has a number of 214 sworn to 229 authorized officers, and there are roughly 400 non-sworn employees. Purvis mentioned that the department is both centralized and decentralized, but the crime analyst unit is centralized. When it comes to how many officers per car there is only one officer in each car unless they are accompanied by a trainee. Purvis told me that the deployment numbers are not automated; they actually look for service load, coupled with response time to determine which shifts need the most officers. The police officers use crime and problem solving strategy meetings, geographic based policing, and the SARA model to help them deter crime.
Overall, my meeting with Darcy Purvis was informative and it showed me a different perspective on what it is like to work as a crime analyst.