Hinds County has launched a mapping system that officials say will make government more efficient and information more accessible to the public.

The $63,000 geographic information system offers residents access to computerized, interactive maps of the county. Those maps are replacing paper maps that most county departments, including the sheriff’s department, rely upon.

Larry Fisher, director of Hinds County Emergency Management, says the system will benefit emergency responders in particular.

The electronic maps will allow dispatchers and law enforcement to pinpoint cell-phone calls. Fisher says it will be faster than the current system — in which a dispatcher or responder has to look up the coordinates on paper.

The system also will help Hinds and the city of Jackson match the technology of surrounding counties.