GIS supporting intelligence-led policing

Tightening budgets and increased demand for public accountability has placed additional stress on already limited police department resources. Web-based crime mapping provides significant improvement over previous methods of information dissemination, allowing police departments to continue to work quickly and efficiently within these limitations. This modern technology has enabled a more proactive approach to policing, including intelligence led-policing and public facing crime maps. As such, officers are now able to better consider spatial patterns related to historic crime, and determine more informedly where crimes may occur in the future, and allocate their limited resources accordingly.