Why police and policing need GIS: an overview

This article provides an overview of major application areas of geographic information systems (GISs) in police departments and policing practices, mainly in the United States. It begins with a quick review of historical evolution of GIS applications in law enforcement from prototype computerized crime mapping to sophisticated spatial analysis and its integration in policing practices. Six major areas of GIS applications in police and policing are discussed with case studies to illustrate the value of GIS as (1) a partner for field officers, (2) a crime investigation and prevention tool, (3) a policy implementation and evaluation tool, (4) a police force planning tool, (5) a tool for testing crime theories, and (6) a communication tool. The article is concluded with an outlook for some emerging trends.