NCJ Number
48288
Date Published
1972
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA, PUBLIC SAFETY INFORMATION SYSTEM REPRESENTS A COOPERATIVE TEAM EFFORT DESIGNED TO SUPPORT ONGOING OPERATIONAL AND DECISIONMAKING NEEDS OF POLICE, FIRE, CIVIL DEFENSE, AND LICENSING FUNCTIONS.
Abstract
THE SYSTEM IS ALSO DESIGNED TO ACCEPT REGIONAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL DATA WHICH HAVE A BEARING ON INTERNAL DATA REQUIREMENTS. THE FIRST TASK OF THE LONG BEACH PROJECT WAS SYSTEMS ANALYSIS. USING AN AUTOMATED TECHNIQUE, META DATA, OVERALL POLICE OPERATIONS AND DATA DEPENDENCIES WERE ASSESSED. THIS ANALYSIS INDICATED A NEED FOR REPETITIVE ACCESS TO THE SAME INFORMATION BY VARIOUS DETAILS AND INDIVIDUALS. MUCH OF THE DUPLICATED EFFORT FOUND COULD BE ELIMINATED THROUGH EFFICIENT AND RAPID ACCESS TO CENTRALIZED FILES. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE POLICE FUNCTION TO OTHER MUNICIPAL OPERATIONS AND AGENCIES WAS ALSO EXAMINED AND EXTERNAL INTERFACES IMPACTING ON SYSTEMS DESIGN WERE IDENTIFIED. THE SECOND PROJECT TASK, CONCEPTUALIZATION, WAS TO DEVELOP A PLAN WHICH WOULD CONSIDER ALL MAJOR INFORMATION ELEMENTS, DESCRIBE HOW THESE ELEMENTS BIND VARIOUS SYSTEM COMPONENTS TOGETHER, AND PROVIDE FOR AN INCREMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPONENTS THAT COMPOSE THE INTEGRATED SUBSYSTEM. EMPHASIS WAS ON THE OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS OF INFORMATION NEEDS: INCUSTODY, CASE REPORTING, TRAFFIC REPORTING, INVESTIGATION SUPPORT, CALLS FOR SERVICE, WANT/WARRANTS, VEHICLES AND LICENSES, AND STOLEN PROPERTY. THROUGH THESE ELEMENTS, VIRTUALLY EVERY SOURCE OF OPERATIONAL INFORMATION DOCUMENTED WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS COVERED. AN IBM (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE) 370/145 (512 K AND VIRTUAL MEMORY FEATURE) AND ITS SOFTWARE PACKAGE, IMS, WAS SELECTED. ON-LINE DATA ENTRY VIA CRT (CATHODE RAY TUBE) WILL BE POSSIBLE, AND THE USE OF REMOTE TERMINALS WITH A FLEXIBLE INQUIRY CAPABILITY IS EXPECTED TO DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY AND TIMELINESS. DURING THE SYSTEMS DESIGN TASK, REQUISITE INFORMATION ELEMENTS WERE SPECIFIED IN DETAIL AND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN COMPONENTS, DATA BASES, AND APPLICATIONS WERE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. DETAILED FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS WERE WRITTEN TO AID IN THE GENERATION OF SOFTWARE. THE INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT COMPONENT WAS THE FIRST TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND IS NOW OPERATING ON-LINE AND IS AVAILABLE TO INVESTIGATIVE PERSONNEL. THE CASE REPORTING COMPONENT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND SOFTWARE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING GENERATED. ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL INFORMATION COMPONENTS ARE ALSO BEING PLANNED. A MANPOWER RESOURCES ALLOCATION SYSTEM UTILIZING INFORMATION DERIVED FROM A COMBINATION OF ALL EIGHT COMPONENTS IS ALSO FORESEEN. ADVANTAGES OF SUCH AN INFORMATION SYSTEM ARE BRIEFLY DISCUSSED. (JAP)