NCJ Number
190420
Journal
Crime Mapping News Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2001 Pages: 1-4
Date Published
2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the development and implementation of a tactical plan for countering school violence by using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technology.
Abstract
Every school has complete information on students, faculty, and other pertinent data in some spreadsheet format that can easily be digitized into a GIS format. Most new schools have existing drawings of the school or existing floor plans that can be scanned into a digitized format and added to the GIS plan. By taking the drawings or plans and creating polygons, themes can be created with room information. With the use of a digital camera, faculty and staff can photograph each key point or room. The more expensive items are aerial photos of sufficient quality to allow tactical units to view campus complexity. GIS or "smart maps" provide officers with the ability to display the layout of a campus building prior to making a tactical entry. Every bit of information about the staff, students, emergency exits, evacuation locations, where to establish a command post, or a staging area for tactical units should be included in the plans. Locations of hazardous material should be included to avoid mistakes when using explosive devices for distraction. Digitized information can be shared with the dispatch center, the responding units, the command post, and the tactical team. When all critical members of the crisis team share spatial information at the same time, lives will be saved and safety will be enhanced for all. 3 figures