Leading with Data (A Police Commander's Guide to GIS and Crime Analysis)

The fundamental guide for police commanders on using crime analysis to lead effectively.

Effective, actionable crime analysis can empower modern law enforcement agencies, and their commanders, to promote public safety. But how do police commanders use this information to lead their agency strategically? Leading with Data: A Police Commander’s Guide to GIS & Crime Analysis shows how to take a geographical approach to analyzing and utilizing police data, allowing commanders to make more efficient and effective decisions. A strong crime analysis and mapping platform can help commanders sift through large amounts of data and other information to discover what matters most in relation to the agency’s operational priorities as well as those voiced by local communities.  

This book covers how to: 

• Use crime analysis and GIS to provide substantial insight into the causes of a given problem and design the best possible strategies for collaboration and positive outcomes 

• Utilize crime analysts in a productive and impactful way 

• Successfully implement GIS and crime analysis into practice on the job 

• Support crime analysis in an organization 

Written to be immediately useful for police commanders, whether new to crime analysis or having direct experience in the matter, Leading with Data is a practical reference guide and provides both introductory and complex topics. The primary goals of this book are to expose law enforcement command staff to basic elements and concepts of GIS and crime analysis, and to then build on that exposure by encouraging the ongoing use of the different types of analysis for day-to-day operations as well as other needs, such as strategic planning, crime accountability meetings, or public outreach. 

Today’s policing requires that commanders know how to use crime analysis and data-driven strategies effectively for problem-solving purposes – and this book shows the way.