Study of Police Management Information Systems - Volume 2 - Police Management Information Systems Developments in the United States - A Comparative Review

• NCJ Number: 82693
• Author(s): R M Atcheson; R G Hann; J I Palmer; C D Shearing; T M Zaharchuk
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 161 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Canada Solicitor General
• Corporate Author: Decision Dynamics Corporation
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Canada Solicitor General
• Language: English
• Country: Canada
• Note: Available in English and French

Annotation

This volume of the police management information systems (MIS) study represents a guide to U.S. MIS technology. It is intended to provide a comparative base of understanding of MIS in the United States to be used by Canadian police forces contemplating similar developments in their own jurisdictions.

Abstract

Lessons from U.S. MIS experiences are presented in terms of environmental, crime, and cost differences. The state-of-the-art development of MIS in Kansas City Mo.; Miami, Los Angeles; Dallas; and San Diego police departments is discussed, with descriptions of each jurisdiction, its systems development background, the MIS developed, and relevance to Canadian police departments. The Federal (LEAA) commitment and the local commitment to MIS in the United States are noted. Observations indicate that there is extensive application of computer technology in U.S. police forces, particularly in those serving large jurisdictions; substantial commitment of resources to MIS in the United States; and a significant attemptto acquire new skills to satisfy the human resource requirements of MIS. The enhancement of skills has taken two forms: external training programs through university, community college, and specialized police institute training and through stable career planning for police officers. LEAA has played a vital role in developing an environment within which new MIS technology can be developed. The U.S.effort has been devoted to building message switching systems to interface with data bases existing at every level of government. The more advanced forms of MIStechnology, such as Automatic Vehicle Locators and Mobile Digital Terminals are still in the experimental sta ge. Even in Kansas City, where the Mobile Digital Terminals have their longest history, only one-third of the patrol vehicles have the terminals installed. Be cause many of the large MIS programs were initiated more than 10 years ago, it appears to take a great deal of time to install a police MIS, and the development program is never really completed. A glossary and information on other field visits are appended. For a summary of the study, see NCJ 82691. For the other volumes in the study, see NCJ 82692 and 82694-96. (Author summary modified)