NCJ Number
57741
Date Published
1977
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A COMPUTER-BASED POLICE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM DEVELOPED FOR THE DORSET, ENGLAND, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
CONSISTING OF A COMPUTERIZED COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM IN WHICH DATA ON CALLS FOR SERVICE AND RESOURCE ACTIVITIES, TOGETHER WITH DATA ON CRIMES AND ACCIDENTS, ARE ANALYZED TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION TO MANAGERS, THE SYSTEM IS BASED ON A POLICE-DEDICATED MINICOMPUTER CONFIGURATION, WITH LINKS TO A REMOTE MAINFRAME FOR LONG TERM DATA STORAGE AND PROCESSING. THE SYSTEM PROVIDES COMPUTER-BASED COMMAND AND CONTROL FACILITIES AND RECORDS DETAILS OF CRIMES, ACCIDENTS, ARRESTS, AND OFFENSES TO ASSURE COMPLETE AND UP-TO-DATE DATA ON DEMANDS FOR SERVICE AND RESOURCE UTILIZATION. FOLLOWING AN OUTLINE OF THE BRITISH POLICING SYSTEM AND A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE HISTORY OF THE DORSET APPROACH TO COMPUTER-AIDED MANAGEMENT, AN OVERVIEW OF THE DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM IS GIVEN, INCLUDING A DISCUSSION OF ITS APPLICATION TO OPERATIONAL POLICING. ALSO DISCUSSED IS HOW ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO OVERCOME THE HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS THAT FREQUENTLY MITIGATE AGAINST THE SUCCESFUL IMPLEMENTATION AND USE OF SUCH INFORMATION SYSTEMS. MAPS, TABLES, GRAPHS, AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS ARE INCLUDED, AS ARE REFERENCES. (KBL)