Before ATTACK

In 2004, King County had the dubious distinction of having 49 percent of all auto thefts in the state of Washington.  The Redmond Police Department was determined to quell the rising epidemic and began looking at auto theft and car prowl statistics in the city, attempting to determine analytically if there was a pattern based on type of vehicle, location, time of day and week, and motive. In late 2004, the department formalized its goal of focusing on car prowl and vehicle theft reduction.

In response to the problem, the RPD hired an additional analyst and dedicated space and equipment for a regional auto theft analysis center. The ATTACK Center (Auto Theft Tactical Analysis Center of King County) was originally modeled after the federal fusion center concept, with the intention of integrating several sources of information into one center for analysis and dissemination, with staffing from several agencies.

Core Services

• Regional communication on active auto thieves and timely information sharing
• Analysis of regional auto theft information
• Correlate crimes to suspects and suspects to crimes
• Encourage coordinated filings on suspects
• Provide analytical services to all agencies (suspect research, crime bulletins, pattern analysis, crime mapping, etc)
  
  

Impact of the Center

The ATTACK center began electronically researching, requesting, and distributing criminal information to other agencies using computer databases. Redmond analysts also host work group meetings, concentrating on identifying regional trends and criminals, and interest began to grow. Auto theft detectives and analysts began using the ATTACK Center as a "one-stop shop," where they could relay suspect information about a crime they were working and receive quick responses regarding similar crimes and criminals.

Vehicle theft in King County has been in a steep decline since 2005, which has continued through 2008 and into 2009.  In 2008, the number of auto thefts in King County was 9435, down from 21,883 in 2005, a 57 percent decrease.  While auto theft across the state has been in a general decline, King County has experienced a virtual freefall.

The ATTACK center now has on its distribution list over 280 individuals representing over 60 agencies across four counties. All of the special enforcement teams communicate with the center, both seeking and transmitting information. Agencies work together to generate an updated top offender list serves to target and prosecute the most prolific vehicle crime offenders in the region.

There has been unprecedented cooperation and collaboration among ATTACK partners. Redmond, Bellevue, and Kirkland enforcement teams have worked together on numerous investigations and have shared information about suspects who might be victimizing neighboring cities. ATTACK also provides tactical crime analysis on auto theft crimes to agencies that do not have their own analysts.

The ATTACK program was named a finalist for the Webber Seavey Award for Quality in Law Enforcement in 2008.

Redmond PD, ATTACK Program Finalist for National Award

King County Statistics:

Auto Theft from 2005-2008