Data Scientist - Police Department

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) is the nation's fourth largest police department, with over 6300 sworn members and 800 civilian personnel. The PPD is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for serving Philadelphia County, extending over 140 square-miles in which approximately 1.5 million reside. Geographically, the Department is divided into twenty-one police districts (each headed by a captain), which comprise six police divisions (Northwest, Northeast, East, Central, Southwest, South - each headed by a Divisional Inspector), into two major sections of the city, Regional Operations Command North (ROC North) and Regional Operations Command South (ROC South), each headed by one Chief Inspector under Patrol Operations. Personnel are assigned to work in 55 different locations throughout Philadelphia, with Police Headquarters located in the 6th Police District, in Center City, at 400 North Broad Street.

Job Description

The Police Department is seeking a highly motivated and analytically driven Data Scientist to support data-informed decision-making across public safety operations. This position will play a critical role in modernizing data collection through PowerApps, performing advanced analytics using diverse data sources, conducting impact evaluations of crime prevention and enforcement initiatives, and developing dashboards to visualize patterns/trends. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in data science, programming, and public sector analytics, along with the ability to communicate findings to both technical and non-technical audiences. 

Key Responsibilities: 

Application Development 

• Design, develop, and maintain Microsoft PowerApps and supporting tools to streamline data collection from internal stakeholders (e.g., officers, supervisors, command staff). 

• Integrate PowerApps with existing data systems such as RMS, CAD, and internal SQL databases. 

• Ensure that data collection tools are secure, user-friendly, and responsive to field and administrative needs. 

Advanced Data Analytics 

• Extract, clean, and analyze data from multiple law enforcement and city data systems. 

• Develop predictive models and statistical analyses to identify crime patterns, resource allocation inefficiencies, and public safety risks. 

• Create dashboards and reports using Power BI, R, or Python to support command-level decision-making. 

Program Evaluation & Impact Assessment 

• Design and conduct evaluations of crime-fighting initiatives such as hotspot policing, focused deterrence, or community engagement strategies. 

• Apply methods such as matched comparisons, time-series analysis, or spatial analysis to measure program effectiveness. 

• Present findings to department leadership, city officials, and public stakeholders with policy recommendations based on evidence. 

Collaboration & Training 

• Work closely with crime analysts, IT, patrol supervisors, and command staff to align data projects with operational needs. 

• Partner with academic institutions and vendors on joint research initiatives 

• Provide training or support on new tools and methodologies to enhance data literacy across the department. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related field 

• 3–5 years of experience in data scienc