Our recent article series (see ‘Missing persons search in the digital age…’) explored the capabilities of Search-PRAS, our dedicated search tool, in high-risk missing persons searches. But of course, police searches are not limited to missing persons, and the full capabilities of Search-PRAS are also found in our CTS-PRAS software, to support searches in Counter Terrorism operations, serious crime investigations and other use cases.
Such searches can be complex, time-critical and have significant implications for the risk and threat to the safety of individuals and the public, as well as to those in frontline teams.
Example Search use cases
Use cases (beyond missing persons searches) for the rich Search functionality within CTS-PRAS include:
- Fugitive Search—planning and narrowing down search areas, and tasking and coordinating search team actions in cases where a subject’s behaviour could well be violent and pose a greater risk of harm to others than in a high-risk missing persons search.
- Crime Search—in this instance, the planning, managing and recording of the actions of a search team in a specific search area related to a crime, whether already committed or expected.
- Route Search—when a particular route is to be used by a person or group and there is the need to consider not only potential threat and method of attack but also how the route can be broken down for preventative action.
- Building Search—similar to the above searches, but focused on the creation of a search plan and search task sheets and documentation for a specific building search.
- IED search—when intelligence or warnings suggest the presence of an IED in an area, but not its exact location. In such cases, a rapid, precise search plan and set of actions are required to mitigate the risk of harm.
In all of the above use cases, and more, the Search capabilities within the CTS-PRAS software make search planning and execution significantly faster, and more efficient and reliable.
Fully integrated and highly automated toolset
The CTS-PRAS Search feature set brings together the best of the best in planning, 2D and 3D mapping, aerial photography, visualisation, behavioural and statistical datasets, and procedural structure and templates—all in one integrated, highly automated digital tool. Consequently, the CTS-PRAS Search functions enable:
- Estimation of a subject’s distance travelled from place last seen. From simple range rings through to analysis of the transport network, the area to be searched can quickly be bounded. Just as speedily, tasks can be issued, and then updated if needed as the operation progresses.
- Identification and understanding of the search areas. Within the overall search area, specific features can be identified—woods, farm buildings, specific type of shops, etc—and then quickly tuned into designated search areas, grouping multiple small items if necessary.
- Tasking of search teams. With the search subject and search areas defined in CTS-PRAS, search tasks are quickly and easily allocated to search teams, each being provided with a task sheet containing all necessary information.
- Status tracking and re-planning. Reports of search task completion or search finds are captured in CTS-PRAS. This maintains a ‘single source of truth’: a full record of operational status with clear visualisation on the map, and easy, rapid planning updates and re-tasking if and when needed.
- Planning to assure required coverage and analysis of achieved coverage. For both land-based and drone-based searches, CTS-PRAS can plan the search route with the goal of ensuring visual coverage of the required area. On completion of the search task, the software can also assess the likely actual coverage from GPS tracks and camera position telemetry for drones.
Cutting edge benefits
All of this is achieved in integrated, cutting edge software that is highly automated and cuts time and cognitive load. The benefits compared to manual methods (or even manual methods combined with non-specialist mapping tools) can be significant and include:
- Rapid initial planning—in minutes, not hours. Your teams are on-task much faster, the overall area to be searched is smaller, and the chances for early success are greater.
- See the full picture in all its detail. Exploiting the information held within CTS-PRAS’s specialist maps, rather than relying on paper or generic online mapping, brings not only speed benefits but reduces the chance that key features will be missed.
- Empowering critical decision-making. Systematic planning, documentation, management and analysis of search operations make them more robust, allowing the focus to shift from the mechanics to the strategy. Professional judgement is empowered rather than undermined.
- Shared intelligence and insight. In a multi-agency context, CTS-PRAS results are easily shared via tools such as Reliance Direct (RD), further cutting timelines and ensuring a common operating picture.
Look and you’ll see more
These compelling Search benefits represent just one facet of the powerful CTS-PRAS software, and are only fully appreciated when you see the tool in action for yourself.
The way to do this is through an initial CTS-PRAS demo, delivered remotely to you and colleagues on a Teams call. Alongside the Search use cases explored here, you may well identify other use cases in which the software can help you cut time, risk and resource pressures.
To arrange a CTS-PRAS demo, simply call Cunning Running on +44 (0)1794 834750 or email enquiries@cunningrunning.co.uk
Stay in touch by following the Cunning Running company page on LinkedIn, or the LinkedIn pages of Phil Cowell Head of Operations or John Overend Customer Support & Training Manager.
Further reading:
Sadly, there’s never been a greater need for CTS-PRAS…
An introduction to CTS-PRAS software and its use in Counter Terrorism.
CTS-PRAS: the integrated Counter Terrorism planning and analysis software with use cases far beyond CT
A general introduction to the CTS-PRAS software’s applicability for other use cases such as airport and CNI protection, major events protection, search operations, and firearms operations.
Flight of foot: How deploying advanced CTS-PRAS software can protect airports and CNI from a wide range of threats
A closer look at ‘airport and CNI protection’ use cases.
Raise the bar: How deploying advanced CTS-PRAS software can protect major events and attendees from a wide range of threats
A closer look at ‘major events protection’ use cases.
