Suspect footwear impressions are often found at the crime scene. They can be preserved by photography, plaster, or dental stone castings or on dactyloscopic foil. Comparing footwear impressions with suspect shoes can often demonstrate that a particular shoe caused the specific footwear impression. Information about shoe brand and type is important in conducting a suspect search, and such information can be found in retail stores or from the manufacturer. In the Netherlands, a project has been initiated to develop a nationwide classification system in which data on footwear outsole designs and footwear impressions can be stored. When completed, the database will be made available to police districts who can communicate with each other by a wide area network called PODACS (Police Data Communication System). The database consists of three parts: (1) outsole shoe designs which can be purchased in shops in the Netherlands; (2) shoe outsole designs from suspects; and (3) images of footwear impressions found at crime scenes. Shoe classification systems in other countries are also noted. 7 references and 3 figures