What You Know, You Know. What You Don‘t Know, You Don’t Know: Why the Gaps in Policing Data Matter More Than the Data Itself

Data is central to modern policing, shaping crime trend analysis, resource allocation, and risk assessment. However, the limitations of data—what it does not tell us—are often more significant than what it does. This essay explores the critical gaps in policing data, questioning why they exist, how they can be addressed, and what their absence means for public safety. It challenges the notion that we should simply ”find our own solutions” rather than continuously ask new questions, arguing instead that “if you stop asking questions, you stop getting answers.” The gaps in knowledge are not accidental; they reflect structural, systemic, and methodological choices. By exploring these missing pieces, this essay highlights how better data can lead to improved policing, greater public trust, and more effective crime prevention.