Lafayette Parish Communication District Integrated GIS Suite
Why It's Important
The Lafayette Parish Communications District (LPCD) relies on fast, accurate mapping services to support effective emergency response. In addition to an integrated dispatch map, features like real-time patrol vehicle tracking, crime analytics, and detailed building layouts add critical context for dispatch operations. The Geospatial Group began working with LPCD in 2022, initially establishing AWS-hosted services and foundational parish maps. Since then, multiple projects have expanded into a fully integrated suite of GIS solutions tailored to the district’s operational needs.
LPCD Integrated GIS Suite
The GIS services developed for LPCD demonstrate how systems from multiple platforms and vendors can be seamlessly integrated to support the complex needs of a large emergency operations center. By hosting the services on AWS, all mapping and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) data can be stored and maintained securely, with high availability and performance. Esri’s ArcGIS Enterprise suite and expansions - including Portal, Dashboards, Web Maps, and Indoors - were leveraged to deliver customized map and data content essential to LPCD’s dispatch operations. Every component was intentionally designed to be fast, user-friendly, and easily accessible, while ensuring full compatibility with their external CAD vendor. With this integrated approach, dispatchers have immediate access to the information they need to respond quickly and effectively direct emergency responders to a location or call.
Map Features
Fast Map Rendering
Automatic Vehicle Locators
Automatic Vehicle Locators
Every moment counts in emergency communications, which is why it’s essential for map services to load quickly, allowing dispatchers to locate active calls and available officers without delay. The Geospatial Group utilizes Vector Tile Caches for 911 and public safety map services to increase map rendering speed. This approach stores (or
Every moment counts in emergency communications, which is why it’s essential for map services to load quickly, allowing dispatchers to locate active calls and available officers without delay. The Geospatial Group utilizes Vector Tile Caches for 911 and public safety map services to increase map rendering speed. This approach stores (or "caches") previously rendered vector tiles and displays them upon request. LPCD Dispatchers can select an active call, and the map will quickly zoom to the geographic point immediately. Switching back and forth between points can be performed seamlessly, ensuring that dispatchers can track real-time calls and events with accuracy.
Automatic Vehicle Locators
Automatic Vehicle Locators
Automatic Vehicle Locators
Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVLs) play a critical role in LPCD’s ability to monitor the real-time location of all emergency responder units, whether officers are actively responding to a call or simply patrolling the area. Each fleet vehicle transmits triangulated geographic data through its radio system back to the ArcGIS GeoEvent serve
Automatic Vehicle Locators (AVLs) play a critical role in LPCD’s ability to monitor the real-time location of all emergency responder units, whether officers are actively responding to a call or simply patrolling the area. Each fleet vehicle transmits triangulated geographic data through its radio system back to the ArcGIS GeoEvent server. The Geospatial Group pulls this location data down and integrates it into both the CAD system and the interactive map, giving LPCD dispatchers a clear, up-to-date view of unit availability and proximity to active calls. This enhanced approach to fleet management supports faster response times while also promoting officer accountability and improving overall safety during operations.
DataSIGHT™ Customization
Automatic Vehicle Locators
DataSIGHT™ Customization
Many cities and parishes use alternate names for buildings or maintain unique, locally relevant details for address points. To ensure that these additional aliases and features are accurately reflected in the mapping services, The Geospatial Group designed the DataSIGHT™ application to allow LPCD to add and customize commonplaces, flags,
Many cities and parishes use alternate names for buildings or maintain unique, locally relevant details for address points. To ensure that these additional aliases and features are accurately reflected in the mapping services, The Geospatial Group designed the DataSIGHT™ application to allow LPCD to add and customize commonplaces, flags, and alarm boxes on their map. Enabling LPCD to add these details themselves gives them greater ownership of their data and ensures that the information added is referenced correctly based on what their emergency responders are familiar with in the field. The custom details are integrated into the address point data so that it is visible in CAD when a dispatcher is handling a call for service.
Dashboard Analytics
CallSIGHT™
Calls for service are typically received by law enforcement agencies through their CAD systems; however, it can be difficult to filter detailed information about calls in the CAD environment. Through its intuitive and interactive data visualizations, the CallSIGHT™ dashboard designed by The Geospatial Group assists LPCD in conveying information using location-based analytics. It is fully dispatch-integrated, secure, and configurable to the specific needs of the parish. CallSIGHT™ can be filtered to display only Active Calls, presenting the information associated with each call in a list format, or show historical call information. As a user selects an Active Call, the map is filtered to that point and a popup with relevant information appears. Individual filters can be used to drill down to the data attributes important to the user. With each selection, every component of CallSIGHT™ dynamically responds. In addition to the filters, the dashboard is also fully responsive to map or chart selections, providing a comprehensive user experience.