News / Measures for Justice, in Partnership with Rochester’s Police Department and a Community Advisory Board, Launches Revolutionary Data Tool for Criminal Justice Transparency and Accountability

Measures for Justice, in Partnership with Rochester’s Police Department and a Community Advisory Board, Launches Revolutionary Data Tool for Criminal Justice Transparency and Accountability

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (April 29, 2025) – In a groundbreaking step toward transparency and accountability, the Rochester Police Department (RPD) has unveiled a powerful new tool that gives the public direct access to accurate, frequently added criminal justice data. Developed in partnership with community leaders and the Rochester-based nonprofit Measures for Justice (MFJ), the data tool known as Commons empowers residents to track police performance metrics, monitor progress on key community-driven goals, and hold the department accountable in new and meaningful ways.

“Public access to accurate, local data is crucial for making informed decisions that impact our community,” says Chief David M. Smith of the Rochester Police Department. “We believe the Commons platform will not only foster accountability but also strengthen our community’s ability to collaborate to improve trust and fairness for all. By partnering with the community and  Measures for Justice, we can work together to create positive change and ensure a stronger, more thriving Rochester.”

Commons offers the public a user-friendly, free dashboard that tracks a wide range of policing measures, including:

  • Crime trends, calls for service, and use of force incidents
  • Officer wellness and training
  • Community engagement and trust-building efforts
  • Fiscal responsibility and resource allocation
  • Progress toward policy goals set collaboratively by the community and the police

The data is broken down by key demographics, offering valuable insights into how various communities are affected by law enforcement actions, fostering deeper understanding and meaningful dialogue.

“As a community advocate, my mission is to ensure transparency between the government agencies that serve our communities and the people they protect,” says Julio Jordan, Director of Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion with the Ibero-American Action League, Inc. and member of the Community Advisory Board (CAB). “In Rochester, fostering trust and open communication is key. Transparency goes beyond sharing data—it’s about making that data meaningful and accessible. When community members and government agencies work together with a shared commitment to openness, we create an environment where policies and practices are accountable and where all members of our community can thrive with a sense of safety and equity.”

The Commons data tool directly reflects RPD’s ongoing partnership with the CAB, which helps shape the policy goals based on data trends. Together, they have chosen to focus on reducing the median response time to four minutes for civilian-generated Immediate Dispatch (Tier 1) calls from call to arrival by March 2026.

Rochester is one of two Police Departments to be a part of a national network of agencies using Commons to drive positive change in the criminal justice system. Other jurisdictions, including Yolo County, CA; West Sacramento, CA; Monroe County, NY, and several across the country, have already implemented similar tools, paving the way for a more accountable and transparent criminal justice system nationwide.

“Commons puts the power of data into the hands of communities,” says Amy Bach, CEO of Measures for Justice. “When the public, police, prosecutors, and courts all share the same data, it becomes the foundation for real change. We’re proud of the collaboration between the Rochester Police Department and members of the Community Advisory Board, and we look forward to the changes this data-driven approach will bring to our backyard.”

By offering unprecedented access to local criminal justice data, Commons signals a new era of collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve. It’s a critical tool for increasing trust, accountability, and informed decision-making in criminal justice reform.

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About Measures for Justice
Measures for Justice is changing the future of criminal justice through tools that help communities and the institutions that serve them reshape how the system works. Since 2011, Measures for Justice has worked with communities, courts, prosecutors, and police to shine a light on what criminal justice looks like nationwide; collaborated to standardize and improve criminal justice data nationwide; and created tools, provided services, and led research to help create a criminal justice system that is fully transparent, accessible, and accountable.