GIS Strengthening Intelligence-Led Crime Fighting

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is strengthening intelligence-led crime-fighting strategies by helping the security forces identify crime hotspots, deploy resources and track the movements of criminal gangs, says Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

He noted that the use of geographic data has been instrumental in informing interventions to address crime and violence across Jamaica.

“That intelligence helps us to position our security resources. It helps us to deploy our fleet,” he said.

Dr. Holness was speaking at the Spatial ArcGIS User Conference at the AC Marriott Hotel in Kingston on Tuesday (September 29).

The Prime Minister pointed out that the Government used geographic data to inform the introduction of the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSOs) in 2017, following a spike in murders and other criminal activities.

He noted that at the time, crime was high, not evenly distributed across the island.

“We needed to understand the geography of crime. Where was crime being committed?” he said.

The Prime Minister informed that the data identified 20 communities where the murder rate was historically high and consistently increasing, which subsequently became ZOSO areas.

“Every murder in Jamaica was geographically coordinated. Every shooting was geographically coordinated. Every raid was geographically coordinated,” he said.

Dr. Holness noted that the use of GIS has been crucial in disrupting gang activity through more targeted, proactive intervention.

He said the Government will continue to refine its crime-fighting measures to protect law-abiding citizens while making it more difficult for criminals to operate.