automating crime data to import into gis

Automating Crime Data to Import into GISAlice Pence GIS/Database SpecialistCity of Auburn, WA

Quick Bio

• BS in Geography from University of Idaho w/Certificate in GIS

• In GIS field for 3+ years – been in Auburn, WA for over 1 year

Alice Pence

Our Crimes Database• Stored in a Proprietary Linux system• Raw data with only addresses• Can’t directly dump into GIS- needs to have data transformed for public/internal viewing,

QA/QC, a spatial component to view on maps and applications, attributes renamed…

First impression…

Our Mission

How to view all this data spatially for analysis and reporting?

Our first idea…

A Python ScriptThe Good• It worked. Can add new offenses, change and update as needed.• Ran in windows scheduler to automate.

The Bad• Long, cumbersome script. • Needed multiple databases (.gbd SDE) to clean and move data.

The Ugly• Can’t easily change connection to Crimes Database, no direct connection to source

(connected through ArcCatalog -then built through Model Builder- then exported out as a Python Script).

• No custom alerts or in depth logging capabilities.• Not user friendly for non-python users.

An easier solution? Our next idea…

FME!!

First ChallengePython FME

This continues on for a few more pages…

How to rename and group 4 letter offense codes

Attribute Mapper Transformer

• As an example: RKBKCrime Type= Felony Crimes Against PersonCrime Name= Robbery

1 2 3

*double bonus: I was able to automatically import codes by a CSV file, AND…FME automatically read in all the source values for me

The Rest of the Process

Into the GIS EnvironmentFME SDE MXD Web Map Service Online Application = Reporting and Analysis

Wait- there’s more…

Automating the workbench and logging too!

FME Server Set UpEmail notifications when

Workbench succeed or failed

Logging Capabilities (FME Jobs)

Main point: FME rocks

ComparisonPython• Cumbersome/long script• Not very easy to

customize alerts or logs• Hard to edit- other users

might not know the python language

• No friendly user interface

FME• Easy to update codes and

field changes• Other users can easily edit-

even w/minimal knowledge of FME

• Share directly to FME Server for logs and alerts

• Friendly user interface for FME Server and easy to set up

Thank you!Alice PenceGIS/Database SpecialistCity of Auburn, WAapence@auburnwa.gov