ABSTRACT
This chapter examines geographic information systems (GIS) software ecosystem and the role of smart software applications in local government. Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) was founded in 1969 and is – without a doubt – the world’s leading supplier of GIS software and solutions. Public Safety is one local government’s most significant and complex functions. It encompasses a wide range of services. Esri-based GIS and analytical software solutions are used by Police and Sheriff Departments, Fire and EMS, Communication Centers and Emergency Operations Centers. The chapter provides twenty-one of the most popular GIS applications used in local government. It presents a Smart Park case study documenting how an enterprise “bespoke” GIS solution can change the way Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Natural Resource managers think about geospatial technology. Enterprise GIS applications meet the broad needs of individual departments, the organization as a whole and the population served by local government.
