Digital Quest, Inc.

Course at a glance:
This course focuses the use of Geographic Information Systems (Intelligent mapping) on the field of law Enforcement. To begin the course you will create a base map of the geographic study area. This base map will be the basis for all future maps created in this lesson series. Then you will be directed through three topics of geographic analysis and they are Hot Spots, Calls for Service time analysis, and Spatial Associations.

The first analysis section involves the study of law enforcement “Hot Spot Analysis” in the community. Calls for Service (CFS) data is used to help pin point the geographic areas in your community that in the past have been the focus points for problems like crime or traffic. CFS data contains every call that comes into the police department requesting police attention. CFS incidents don’t occur equally in all places at all times. There are areas within a community where incidents occur more often than others. Using a geographic Information System, it is possible to identify the location of the densest concentration of incidents. This is the basis for “Hot Spot Analysis”.

The next analysis section focuses on CFS Time Analysis. In this analysis, the call times of burglary incidents are used to make generalizations about the times that burglary calls are made from various locations. The major roads in the community are selected to find any relationships that exist between call times and areas located near routes for “fast getaways”. In order to evaluate CFS Time Analysis you will create various maps that illustrate how geographic features are located with respect to one another.

These lesson lead into a topic called “Spatial Association”. The exercises in this analysis section are used to spatially associate crime incidents with other factors in a community. Demographics, business locations, land use patterns, and transportation systems. All of these geographic features impact where and when crime incidents occur. Incidents of crime do not occur without influence from other factors in a community.

During the course you will also learn….

Launching ArcGIS Programs
Connecting to Folders in ArcCatalog
Changing the Name of the Data Frame (Data Frame Properties)
Adding a New Group Layer to the Map Document
Adding Data to ArcMap
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Single Symbol)
Changing Layer Name (Layer Properties)
Editing Symbology of Image Data
Saving a Map Document
Creating a Map Layout
Exporting a Map Layout
Printing a Map Layout
Saving Data Layers as Layer Files
Creating a Personal Geodatabase
Creating a Feature Dataset
Importing Feature Classes to a Feature Dataset
Importing a Raster Data Layer to a Geodatabase
Opening an Existing Map Document
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Unique Value)
Activating an Extension in ArcMap
Performing Map Calculations (Spatial Analyst Raster Calculator)
Editing an Existing Map Layout
Exporting a Data Layer
Removing a Data Layer
Opening an Attribute Table
Adding a Table to a Map Document
Joining a Data Layer to a Database Table
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Graduated Colors)
Showing ArcToolbox
Using the Calculate Areas Tool in ArcToolbox
Adding a Field to an Attribute Table
Starting an Editing Session
Using Calculate Values to Add Data to a Table
Sorting Data in an Attribute Table
Changing Classification Methods for Displaying Data by Graduated Color
Using the ArcToolbox Index
Using the Clip Tool in ArcToolbox
Adding Multiple Data Frames to a Map Document
Copying & Pasting Data Layers into a New Data Frame
Creating Map Layouts with Multiple Data Frames
Displaying XY Data from a Text Table
Exporting Events Layer Features as a New Data Layer
Using the Select by Location Method to Select Features
Exporting Selected Features as a New Layer
Using the Select by Attributes Method to Select Features
Accessing More Symbols in the Symbol Palette
Adjusting the Transparency of a Data Layer
Changing Label Properties of a Data Layer
Labeling Features in the Map Display
Creating an Address Locator in ArcCatalog
Geocoding Addresses from a Text Table in ArcMap
Using the Symbol Property Editor
Summarizing a Field in an Attribute Table
Viewing Statistics of a Field in an Attribute Table
Creating a Graph
Creating a Report
Adding a Graph to a Layout Page
Adding a Report to a Layout Page
Creating a Density Surface (Spatial Analyst)
Changing Symbology of a Grid Data Layer
Setting Selectable Layers
Using the Identify Tool
Performing Cut/Fill Analysis (Spatial Analyst)
Converting Raster Data to Feature Data (Spatial Analyst)
Performing a Spatial Join
Interpolating Feature Data to Raster (Spatial Analyst)
Using the Central Location Tool in ArcToolbox
Calculating Area using a VBA Script
Using the Union Tool in ArcToolbox
Changing Map Display Units
Using the Measure Tool
Creating a New Shapefile in ArcCatalog
Adding Features to a New Shapefile

Why is this topic important?
In recent years, GIS technology has been promoted for the field of Law Enforcement. The nature of the information that is important to Law Enforcement is that it is location-based, making it a natural field for the application of geospatial studies. Law enforcement and criminal analysis are topics that are relevant in every community. Geospatial technology is the becoming an essential tool in managing a community’s calls for service.

Table of Contents:
GIS in Law Enforcement Project Overview Page
Presentation 1 – Law Enforcement
Presentation 2 – The Project Management Model (PMM)
Presentation 3 – Navigating ArcGIS 8.x

Project Plan
1.0 Project Implementation – Base Map Creation
Presentation 4 – Creating the Base Map
Project Implementation – Base Map Creation

ArcGIS 9.1 Topics:
Launching ArcGIS Programs
Connecting to Folders in ArcCatalog
Changing the Name of the Data Frame (Data Frame Properties)
Adding a New Group Layer to the Map Document
Adding Data to ArcMap
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Single Symbol)
Changing Layer Name (Layer Properties)
Editing Symbology of Image Data
Saving a Map Document
Creating a Map Layout
Exporting a Map Layout
Printing a Map Layout
Saving Data Layers as Layer Files
Creating a Personal Geodatabase
Creating a Feature Dataset
Importing Feature Classes to a Feature Dataset
Importing a Raster Data Layer to a Geodatabase

2.0 Project Implementation – Data Acquisition & Preparation
Presentation 5 – ArcGIS Tools & Techniques for Data Preparation
Project Implementation – Data Preparation

2.1 Natural Landscape Features
Opening an Existing Map Document
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Unique Value)
Activating an Extension in ArcMap
Performing Map Calculations (Spatial Analyst Raster Calculator)
Editing an Existing Map Layout
2.2 Manmade Landscape Features
2.3 Demographics (Population & Business)
Exporting a Data Layer
Removing a Data Layer
Opening an Attribute Table
Adding a Table to a Map Document
Joining a Data Layer to a Database Table
Changing Symbology of Vector Data (Graduated Colors)
Showing ArcToolbox LE-100
Using the Calculate Areas Tool in ArcToolbox
Adding a Field to an Attribute Table
Starting an Editing Session
Using Calculate Values to Add Data to a Table
Sorting Data in an Attribute Table
Changing Classification Methods for Displaying Data by Graduated Color
Using the ArcToolbox Index
Using the Clip Tool in ArcToolbox
Adding Multiple Data Frames to a Map Document
Copying & Pasting Data Layers into a New Data Frame
Creating Map Layouts with Multiple Data Frames
Displaying XY Data from a Text Table
Exporting Events Layer Features as a New Data Layer
Using the Select by Location Method to Select Features
Exporting Selected Features as a New Layer
Using the Select by Attributes Method to Select Features
Accessing More Symbols in the Symbol Palette
2.4 Policing Features (Districts & Calls for Service)
Adjusting the Transparency of a Data Layer
Changing Label Properties of a Data Layer
Labeling Features in the Map Display
Creating an Address Locator in ArcCatalog
Geocoding Addresses from a Text Table in ArcMap
Using the Symbol Property Editor
Summarizing a Field in an Attribute Table
Viewing Statistics of a Field in an Attribute Table
Creating a Graph
Creating a Report
Adding a Graph to a Layout Page
Adding a Report to a Layout Page

3.0 Project Implementation – Data Analysis

Presentation 6 – ArcGIS Tools & Techniques for Data Analysis
Project Implementation – Data Analysis

3.1 Hot Spot Analysis
New ArcGIS 8.x Topics:
Creating a Density Surface (Spatial Analyst)
Changing Symbology of a Grid Data Layer
Setting Selectable Layers
Using the Identify Tool
Performing Cut/Fill Analysis (Spatial Analyst)
Converting Raster Data to Feature Data (Spatial Analyst)
Performing a Spatial Join
3.2 CFS Time Analysis
New ArcGIS 8.x Topics:
Interpolating Feature Data to Raster (Spatial Analyst)
Using the Central Location Tool in ArcToolbox
3.3 Spatial Associations

Calculating Area using a VBA Script
Using the Union Tool in ArcToolbox
Changing Map Display Units
Using the Measure Tool
Creating a New Shapefile in ArcCatalog
Adding Features to a New Shapefile

3.4 Redistricting Police Districts
Using the Districting Extension
Creating a Districting Plan Workspace
Grouping Polygon Features into Districts Interactively
Grouping Polygon Features into Districts “On-the_Fly”
Saving Districts as Shapefiles

Project Presentation – Written Report Instructions
Project Presentation – Oral Report Instructions

Who could use this knowledge?

The topics in this course are not only for Law Enforcement officials. The skills taught can be applied to people in jobs like Sales and Marketing. Sales and marketing professional deal with customers (points) and demographics (polygons). They can use these same skills to “Spatially Associate” their customers with demographics. And use that Association to find pockets of potential new customers.

Who are the direct stakeholders?

Police administration, Patrol Officers, Municipal Governments, County Governments, Emergency Response Agencies, Local/County Homeland Security Organizations, Civic Organizations, Businesses, Residence Patrol Groups, Civilian Police Groups.

Skills we assume you have before you take this class:

You will need basic computer skills, a working knowledge of an office suite (such as PowerPoint, Word Docs, and Spread Sheets) and experience with access to the Internet.

Software you will need:

ArcGIS 9.1 with Spatial Analyst extension

Hardware you will need:

A networked computer lab with a 1:1 ratio of students to computers, which meets the following minimum specifications: Pentium-III, Celeron, Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon running at 1ghz or equivalent, at least 1GB of RAM memory, Windows 2000 or Windows XP Professional, a network server providing at least 500MB of storage per student, and appropriate read/write permissions for both the server and workstations. You will also need Internet access and a suitable means of displaying PowerPoint presentations (LCD projector, large monitor, plasma screen, etc.). You will also need a GPS unit.

Teacher Support…

Detailed, thorough student documentation, Full lesson plans including objectives, materials needed, procedures and assessments, PowerPoint presentations with narratives, Customized assessment and answer keys based on local data

What Data will you use…

Filename Type Description
cfcc dbf Census Feature Class Codes

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