Crime Crystal Ball 2Crime Crystal Ball 2

Dick Tracy never dreamed of this. Police in Westminster, Calif., are developing a crime-analysis system using predictive-analysis software from MetaEdge. The department is testing a prototype it created by merging two crime databases. Officers in the community of 87,000 will analyze data from computerized police reports and, they hope, detect and map local crime patterns.

"We can be more effective in our patrol efforts and use of the resources we have," Westminster police Lt. Derek Marsh says. "We could curb crime trends before they get out of hand."