NCJ Number
47419
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GEOGRAPHIC BASE FILE (GBF) IN A COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCHING SYSTEM FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DESCRIBED, AS ARE THE BENEFITS AND FAULTS OF THE APPROACH AND THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED.
Abstract
THE GBF CONSISTS OF TWO MAJOR FILES: (1) A BASE FILE CONTAINING ONE RECORD FOR EACH STREET SEGMENT IN THE CITY AND PROVIDING THE RANGE OF STREET NUMBERS, THE SECTION OF THE CITY IN WHICH THE SEGMENT IS LOCATED, THE POLICE DISTRICT AND PATROL SECTOR IN WHICH THE SEGMENT FALLS, AND OTHER INFORMATION; AND OTHER INFORMATION; AND (2) A DICTIONARY FILE CONTAINING RECORDS FOR EVERY STREET NAME, ABBREVIATED STREET NAMES, COMMON STREET MISSPELLINGS, INTERSECTIONS, AND SPECIAL LOCATIONS SUCH AS SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES COMMONLY KNOWN TO THE PUBLIC. THE COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCH (CAD) SYSTEM PROVIDES COMPLETE SUPPORT FOR COMPLAINT DATA ENTRY, DISPATCH DECISION ASSISTANCE, RESPONSE UNIT STATUS MAINTENANCE, AND HISTORICAL DATA RECORDING. A COMPLETE AND VERSATILE GBF IS USED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE COMPLAINT-TAKING AND DISPATCHING ACTIVITIES AND ENABLES THE CAD TO PROVIDE BOTH REAL-TIME TACTICAL SUPPORT TO POLICE OPERATIONS AND SUBSTANTIAL DATA ANALYSIS FOR SHORT-TERM CRIME STUDIES AND LONGER-TERM RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND REALLOCATION PLANNING. IN A TACTICAL MODE, THE GBF IS USED TO VALIDATE ALL INCIDENT LOCATIONS ENTERED INTO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. THIS ASSURES THAT THE REPORTED LOCATION IN FACT EXISTS AND ENABLES KEY GEO-CODE DATA TO BE APPENDED TO THE COMPLAINT DATA. OFF-LINE ANALYSES OF INCIDENT DATA ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO STUDY ACTIVITY BY DISTRICT AND PATROL SECTOR, BY TIME OF DAY, AND BY TYPE OF COMPLAINT. THE GBF HAS A NUMBER OF SHORTCOMINGS. CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS, OR DELETIONS TO THE FILE CANNOT BE PROCESSED DIRECTLY ON THE CAD SYSTEM. A SERIES OF PROGRAMS ON A LARGE MAINFRAME COMPUTER MUST BE RUN TO DEVELOP INPUT FILES FOR THE CAD/GBF. ALTHOUGH THE APPROACH USED FOR HANDLING MISSPELLINGS IS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND EFFECTIVE, THE COMPUTER SYSTEM DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY SORT OF LISTING OF SOUND-ALIKE NAMES TO THE OPERATOR WHEN A MISSPELLED STREET NAME IS ENTERED. ALSO, MANY STREETS EXIST WITH THE SAME NAME BUT DIFFERENT SUFFIXES (E.G., STREET, AVENUE, ROAD). WHEN A STREET NAME IS ENTERED, THE COMPUTER REQUIRES THAT A SUFFIX BE ENTERED AS WELL, BUT OFTEN A CALLER GIVES ONLY THE NAME, SO THE OPERATOR MUST ATTEMPT A CALCULATED GUESS AS TO THE PROPER SUFFIX. THE CAD SYSTEM IS BEING ENHANCED TO INCORPORATE HAZARD LOCATION DATA INTO THE GBF. IF A FIELD REPORT IS SUBMITTED FOR A COMPLAINT, AND THE FIELD REPORT INDICATES A POTENTIAL HAZARD AT THE INCIDENT LOCATION, THE CAD COMPUTER WILL AUTOMATICALLY GENERATE A HAZARD INDICATION FOR THAT LOCATION. SAMPLE DISPATCH DISPLAYS ARE PROVIDED. (KBL)