Moreover, because training is often not available locally in small to medium jurisdictions, support costs may be higher due to travel expenses. Training is not only important, it is something which requires strong funding right from the start. That's my big issue. A lot of agencies just give you a map and show you how to use it, but they don't teach you all the principles and practice. I cannot stress this enough.
Training is of the utmost importance.
And that's it. Without training, local law enforcement agencies seeking to develop a GIS capability are forced to assume that existing personnel, usually burdened with many diverse responsibilities, can seek out and master on their own a subject matter which is highly technical in nature that in larger jurisdictions assumes staffing by individuals with substantial educational and experiential background in crime mapping. Even when highly motivated and talented local personnel exist, they are the first ones to acknowledge the need for GIS training. Train on networking Training needs to be conceptualized in broader terms than may traditionally be the case. By the same token, funding of such an infrastructure would be an effective means to promote crime mapping capabilities in small and medium jurisdictions.