DALLAS (TX) POLICE GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE (FROM GBF (GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILES) USERS GROUP REPORTS, 1977 - SEE NCJ-67242)

• NCJ Number: 67258
• Author(s): A RODRIGUEZ
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NCJ 67258 AVAILABLE ON MICROFICHE FROM NCJRS UNDER NCJ 67242.

Annotation

THE GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF THE DALLAS POLICE GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE (GBF), CALLED THE STREET LOCATOR FILE, IS DISCUSSED.

Abstract

DALLAS IS DIVIDED INTO 5 PATROL DIVISIONS, 25 SERGEANT SECTORS, 158 BEATS, AND 987 REPORTING AREAS (WITH EACH DIVISION BEING A BREAKDOWN OF THE DIVISION PRECEDING IT). THE REPORTING AREA IS THE SMALLEST GEOGRAPHICAL AREA USED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND IT IS THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA INDEXED BY THE STREET LOCATOR FILE; THE BEAT IS ALSO INDEXED. THIS GBF WAS DEVELOPED IN 1969 AS PART OF THE COMPUTER ASSISTED DISPATCH SYSTEM (CAD). THE STREET LOCATOR FILE IS MADE UP OF A FILE FOR NONINTERSECTION STREETS, ONE FOR INTERSECTIONS, AND ONE TO MAINTAIN CORRECT STREET SPELLINGS. ALL STREETS HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED A UNIQUE STREET CODE; THUS ALL TYPES OF RECORDS (MASTER, SUPPRESSED, OR SLANG) PERTAINING TO THE SAME LOCATION ARE ASSIGNED THE SAME STREET CODE, BEAT, AND REPORTING AREA. THIS FILE HAS PROVEN TO BE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CAD SYSTEM, THE CALLS-FOR-SERVICE FILE, THE OFFENSE REPORTING SYSTEM, THE CRIMINAL SYSTEM, OTHER POLICE REPORTING SYSTEMS THAT UTILIZE GEOGRAPHICAL REPORTING AND STATISTICS. IT IS SUPPORTIVE ALSO OF OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, I.E., THE TAX AND WATER DEPARTMENTS. ALL FILE MAINTENANCE IS DONE ONLINE. THE POLICE DATA PROCESSING DIVISION KEEPS THE FILE CURRENT WITH INPUT FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION, FROM THE MAPS AND PLATES SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS, AND FROM THE TAX AND WATER DEPARTMENTS. ALL USERS OF THE FILE HELP TO KEEP IT CURRENT. A BATCH PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO CHANGE THE BEAT CONFIGURATION IN THE FILE. THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF DATA SERVICES PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTS THE FILE, WHICH IS MAINTAINED ON TWO IBM 370/145'S WITH 3350 DISK DRIVES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ABOUT 120 TERMINALS. GAD RESPONSE TIME IS 5 SECONDS OR LESS. THE DEPARTMENT HOPES TO APPLY THE FILE TO THE NEW AUTOMATIC VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM. FUTURE NEEDS WILL BE MET IN DALLAS EITHER BY EXPANDING THE STREET LOCATOR FILE OR ADAPTING THE DIME FILE. TABLES ILLUSTRATE THE VARIOUS STREET FILES. (MHP)