ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the potential of geographic information system (GIS) to support the work of police and fire authorities around the world. It focuses largely on GIS and crime pattern analysis. The primary uses of GIS technology in law enforcement are in detection and the analysis of crime patterns and in the development and management of preventative measures. The chapter discusses the types of data that are potentially available for crime analysis and the issues surrounding usage and sharing. It then reviews a series of tools that are available for GIS mapping and the analysis of crime. The chapter provides an introduction to the application of GIS in the crime and fire service sectors. It also demonstrates that GIS can be applied to crime issues at a variety of levels from illustrative mapping to more complex spatial analysis.
