City of Wilmington

Overview

With Bonterra, Debra built relationships across the region and helped the HOPE Commission deliver services ranging from virtual GED programs to wellness checks. As CPSI coordinator, she was tasked with bringing together community organizations to improve safety through collaboration,  and she knew Bonterra was the right partner. 

Challenges 

A siloed approach to public safety and a lack of accessible, real-time data 

The CPSI was formed to predict and pinpoint problems that often lead to crime and to help prevent criminal activity. Participating organizations serve a broad cross-section of Wilmington residents from adults in the justice system to juveniles facing school challenges and individuals living in communities impacted by violence. 

The CPSI leads the vision while community partners drive the impact. But collaboration is difficult without shared systems and timely data. For Debra and her team, legacy tools were slowing their ability to serve. 

“I was a probation officer for 10 years…without a cloud based tool, I would have to go back to my office and spend time entering that information after the fact, which ate up a lot of time and reduced accuracy.” 

Solutions 

Real-time access and customization that empowers field teams 

Apricot offered CPSI staff the ability to collect and access data anywhere on a phone, tablet, or laptop. For an initiative working across neighborhoods and organizations, this accessibility was key. Debra emphasized how the system supports fieldwork without the delays of office-based data entry. 

“Our team can sit in front of a client, take down notes directly intoApricot while in the field, and be confident in the fact that the data is stored safely and accurately.” 

Apricot also enabled the team to customize the platform without waiting on outside development resources. 

“Unlike other software where you have to depend on somebody else to develop custom programming, Bonterra lets us make the system work for us. Someone on my team will come to me and ask me if we can add a feature or a tool to the interface, and within seconds, I can drop it in and use it immediately.” 

The CPSI began using Apricot to collect demographic and engagement data across partners and staff, helping them better understand needs, track services, and guide decision-making. 

Outcomes 

Reducing crime through data-informed prevention and cross-agency readiness 

The CPSI’s success is primarily measured by one thing: a reduction in crime. The team works closely with the Wilmington Police Department to monitor incidents across all public safety criteria from burglaries to homicides and aims to intervene before issues escalate. 

“We want to find ways to stop crimes before they happen…indicating areas of need and then providing the right services to the right people at the right time.” 

Apricot also helps the city deliver more holistic, long-term change. CPSI is conducting organizational readiness assessments, coaching on topics like financial management and services for gun violence victims, and connecting Wilmington-based groups with peer organizations in other cities. 

All of this work relies on Apricot to securely manage data, streamline collaboration, and support evidence-based decision making. 

Want to read the full Q&A with Dr. Debra Mason? Check it out here.