Since the inception of computerized police information systems, agencies have struggled with the problem of retrieving data in a useful decision-making format. Legacy mainframe systems function simply as sophisticated filing cabinets. A single incident report is entered, and can be retrieved again at a later date. Moreover, even many client-server systems lack full search and retrieve capabilities. That is, one might be able to search on certain characteristics, and get a list of offenses or persons or incidents that fit that characteristic, but not be able to search on combined characteristics (i.e., all auto thefts of trucks in Beat 4 between given dates).

Thus, an important element of our effort to design a model system that will provide officers with full decision oriented capability has been the development of what we term a universal search and retrieval system. That is, a search is possible by any structured field entered into the system, and any combination of those fields. An officer or analyst can then retrieve, for example, all robberies committed on Saturdays involving location code "convenience stores" for the last four months. Pattern and trend data for crime analysis is retrieved with simple point and click commands. Data provided back in this format enables police response that is timely, focused, targeted, and structured.

Additionally, the advanced search retrieval format provides data in a form immediately transferable to Microsoft Excel^®. Excel^® then provides the user with multiple presentation format options, including data graphing. For more common search routines, such as response times, step-by-step wizards are provided.