How Law Enforcement Agencies Use MapInfo
If you are considering a mapping/GIS solution for your organization, chances are you have one of the following needs in mind. Your jurisdiction is certain to have its own unique characteristics - the type of CAD/CAS system you use, or whether your geography is broken down into wards, sectors, or beats - but that's no problem for MapInfo. Our solutions are open and flexible and can easily conform to your needs.
CAD/E-911/Call for Service
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems, enhanced 911, or 999 are all "call for service" mechanisms. Dispatchers receive calls from the public and units respond to them. This is the entry point for most departments' data, so it's very important that data collected at this point is accurate. MapInfo has tools which ensure that all location data going into your system is "clean" with no misspellings or incomplete addresses. Other components of a complete Call for Service solution might include an ability to display the location of each call on a map as it comes in, along with the specific location of all available resources, in real-time.
Call Reporting/Record Management
In addition to an in-bound dispatch database most organizations have a responder database. Was an arrest made? Was it a false alarm? This information is also cataloged and MapInfo gives you the ability to analyze it very quickly and precisely.
MapInfo can take variables like a patrol sector or precinct number and produce summary reports. Find out what percentage of your responders had to make an arrest and what the offense usually was.
Crime Analysis
MapInfo's easy-to-interpret maps let you see things in your data you could never find in all those reports you get - the ones that bury useful information inside columns of statistics. You can look at simple, colorful maps that identify hotspots at-a-glance. And you can make sophisticated queries of your data like, "how many arrests involving handguns were made within one mile of a liquor store during the first week of the month?" Whatever your needs, MapInfo's crime analysis tools make it easy to map every incident within your jurisdiction, and drill down into your data to spot even subtle patterns and trends.
Planning
MapInfo goes beyond paper-based pin-mapping. It's connected to your data, so it gives you a very accurate and up-to-date view of your jurisdiction. If you've chased activity into another part of town, you can respond immediately by reallocating staff. Maybe a sector would be better patrolled if it was split in two. Divide it by the number of streets in each sector; or the area in square miles. If you don't like the results try something else. You can also use MapInfo to plan and coordinate crowd control during Special Events (as the Chicago Police have done for Bulls games and Atlanta did for the Olympics) or to increase your visibility during situations.
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