NCJ Number
223188
Journal
Law and Order: The Magazine for Police Management Volume: 56 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 60-66
Date Published
May 2008
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article examines the many effective applications of geographical information systems (GIS), specifically the GIS developed and utilized in Sandy City, UT.
Abstract
The true value of geographical information systems (GIS) is in its ability to access different types of data from different sources and present that data in different ways. For accident patterns, with the assistance of GIS, officers can quickly identify what kind of vehicle accidents are occurring most frequently and begin to identify the cause. GIS helps with fire prevention and prediction. In mountainous terrain, GIS models provide helpful insight into the possible direction and speed of fire. Pin mapping is the digital version of the classic police map, mounted on a wall with push pins. GIS software allows the pins to be connected with a click to additional data about the location, crime, offenders, victims, and much more. In Sandy Spring, UT, employees are using ArcGIS software developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). Instead of making a single city map, the collective departments of the city government have access to more than 250 layers of data that can be queried and massaged into countless maps, tables, charts, and other forms of data presentations called “models.” For example, several schools in Sandy City have requested maps displaying the safest walking routes for children from school to their homes. Law enforcement and public safety is only one capability of modern GIS software. Law enforcement is only one of the many branches of government that GIS serves.