Making the Case With (and for) LexisNexis® Accurint® for Law Enforcement

• Analytics & Modeling - Predictive Analytics
• Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

• Security & Public Safety

• Business Operation
• Field Services

• Predictive Maintenance
• Remote Asset Management

• System Integration
• Training

In May 2008, Lt. James Risseeuw received a report of an attempted sexual assault and forced confinement of an 18-year old woman. The victim had fought off her attacker and the suspect had fled the scene. Working with the responding officer, Lt. Risseeuw learned that the victim knew her attacker and had previously babysat his children. The Lieutenant was able to gather a description of the suspect, his name and a description of the vehicle he fled in. From a description of the crime scene, he also learned that the attacker had been particularly violent and brutal. Lt. Risseeuw knew he needed to apprehend the suspect quickly. As a 20-year veteran, Lt. Risseeuw knew that normal investigative methods could take several days to locate the suspect. Investigations in Sheboygan County are complicated by the fact that driver’s licenses are only renewed every ten years and the department only has direct access to incident records in its jurisdiction.

Located on the western shores of Lake Michigan, Sheboygan County is home to over 120,000 residents and countless commuters and visitors every day. The Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department is responsible for providing law enforcement services to this constituency. The department is tasked with ensuring the safety and security of the residents, handling various criminal cases, and maintaining public order. The department faces unique challenges due to the large number of people it serves and the complexity of the cases it handles. The department's responsibilities include responding to emergencies, conducting investigations, and collaborating with other law enforcement agencies to solve crimes and apprehend suspects.

Lt. Risseeuw and his colleagues had been evaluating LexisNexis® Accurint® for Law Enforcement. Accurint for Law Enforcement is an investigative solution designed by a team of former investigative professionals that helps shorten investigation time, free up valuable staff, minimize costs associated with lengthy investigations and, in some cases, save lives. “The moment the call came in I knew this was a perfect case to test Accurint,” said Lt. Risseeuw. “We had partial information on a suspect who resided outside of our jurisdiction and a need to catch the suspect quickly. If Accurint would be able to provide a lift to our investigative efforts, this was the type of case that would reveal it.” Lt. Risseeuw fed the information he received from the investigating officer into Accurint. In seconds he identified the suspect’s home address, his ex-wife’s name and her home address, and his cell phone number, as well as legal history that showed a history of domestic abuse. Lt. Risseeuw obtained a court order providing him with up-to-the-minute information on the suspect’s cell phone usage. Because they believed the suspect was headed to his home in Illinois, the Lieutenant engaged the U.S. Marshals, who contacted and interviewed the ex-wife. This information enabled Lt. Risseeuw to trace the suspect’s likely path of travel. Shortly thereafter, the suspect was apprehended and in jail. “We have a good reason to believe that the suspect would have stopped at nothing to prevent the victim from testifying,” said Lt. Risseeuw.

• Using traditional resources, an investigation like this can take a minimum of three days. With Accurint giving us a starting point, we completed it in less than 24 hours, from the time the call came in to when the suspect was in custody.
• The suspect was apprehended before more crimes could be committed.
• Accurint for Law Enforcement helped shorten investigation time, free up valuable staff, and minimize costs associated with lengthy investigations.

• Investigation completed in less than 24 hours compared to the traditional minimum of three days.