GBF (GEORGRAPHIC BASE FILES) ISSUES FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATOR (FROM GBF (GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILES) USERS GROUP REPORTS, 1977 - SEE NCJ-67242)

• NCJ Number: 67252
• Author(s): G T STEELE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NCJ 67252 AVAILABLE ON MICROFICHE FROM NCJRS UNDER NCJ 67242.

Annotation

WASHINGTON, D.C.'S, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT (MPD) HAS BEEN DEVELOPING A GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE (GBF) SINCE JULY 1971 THAT IS HELPING IN COORDINATING THE NINE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WITHIN THE CITY.

Abstract

INITIAL SHORT-RANGE GOALS FOR APPLICATION OF THE MPD, GBF WERE GENERATION OF THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORT, CRIME ANALYSIS, INVESTIGATION, MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT, COMMUNITY INFORMATION, REPORT AUDITING, TRAFFIC ANALYSIS, AND SPECIAL STATISTICAL REQUESTS. FROM THE BEGINNING, RETRIEVAL BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA, OR ADDRESS, WAS DEEMED A PRIORITY, AND LATER, ONLINE, REAL-TIME CAPABILITIES WERE SOUGHT AND INTRODUCED. THE SUCCESS OF MPD'S GBF EVENTUALLY PROMPTED THE CREATION OF A MUNICIPAL GBF INFORMATION SYSTEM, (DCGBF), WITH THE MPD AS THE DESIGN AND CREATION HEAD. THUS, THE MPD STAFF HAS HAD TO DEAL WITH SUCH AS THE MULTIJURISDICTIONAL ROLES AND NEEDS OF THE USERS, SYSTEMS DESIGN AND FILE MAINTENANCE, EXPANDED ROLES OF SECURITY AND PRIVACY, COORDINATION WITH FEDERAL AGENCIES, AND AVOIDANCE OF UNFAVORABLE PUBLIC INTERPRETATIONS OF DCGBF AS A 'BIG BROTHER.' CONSIDERATIONS MPD BUILT INTO ITS ORIGINAL SYSTEM WERE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPUTER AIDED DISPATCHING, WITH MULTIPLE BEAT CONFIGURATIONS, AND THE INCLUSION OF A STREET SYNONYM DICTIONARY. ELEMENTS OVERLOOKED WERE THE IDENTIFICATION OF PRIVATE STREETS AND BIKE TRAILS AND STREETS FOR TOURISTS. MPD'S COST HAVE INCREASED CONSIDERABLY SINCE THEY TOOK ON THE DCGBF; PREVIOUSLY THEIR FUNDING HAD BEEN ABSORBED BY ROUTINE DEPARTMENT COSTS. MOREOVER, WHILE THE DATA PROCESSING DIVISION HANDLES MPD'S GBF MAINTENANCE AND ENSURES GEOGRAPHIC DATA ELEMENT RELIABILITY, THE DIVISION'S RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE DCGBF ARE NOT YET CLEAR. SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC ARE THE MUNICIPAL GOALS WHICH TEND TOWARD THE STUDY OF SOCIAL INDICATORS AND REGIONAL PLANNING PROJECTS, THE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS FROM MPD TO CITY ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. A FURTHER PROBLEM IS THAT GENERAL SECURITY AND PRIVACY GUIDELINES (SUCH AS D.C. GUN REGISTRATION REGULATIONS) MUST BE HEEDED ACROSS THE MUNICIPALITY. THUS WHILE TECHNOLOGIES, AUTOMATION, AND THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHY HAVE INCREASED IN IMPORTANCE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS OF COORDINATING THEIR USE HAVE ONLY BEGUN TO BE DEFINED. (MHP)