GIS Use in Crime Feels Burden of its own Success

Use of GIS in crime analysis has grown to 23 analysts in Toronto since its introduction in the early 1990s. The data is delivered as “electronic bulletin boards” (not something I’m familiar with) to staff in the field and in patrol cars. Apparently, these are static maps; the hope is to make them interactive using MapXtreme and to integrate other data sources.

“And we’re looking to give the frontline officers the ability to [query directly] and drill down further.”
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Analysts also have limited ability to bring in data from different sources. “What we are working toward is some type of metadata layer that allows us to…tap into the various different data sources regardless of where they are and be able to display that spatially or in a tabular format,” [the service’s crime analysis training and development coordinator Det. Constable Manny ] San Pedro said.

Sure sounds like users are convinced of GIS use; now it’s time to update the technology.

- GCN