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Nov 18, 2007 8:15 pm US/Mountain
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Police Unveil New Crime Mapping Web Site
DENVER (CBS4) ―
Denver police have started using a new tool to fight crime -- an online mapping system that gives residents the power to know what's happening in their neighborhood.
Police introduced the system at a news conference Friday.
For the first time people can now go online and get a detailed map of crimes within as little as 500 feet of their homes, schools, library or park.
The maps are updated daily and allow users to search a specific time period, dating back to January of 2005.
The site even offers dates, times and addresses of each crime.
"You know the old saying knowledge is power? It's the whole idea of knowing what's going on in your neighborhood," Denver Manager of Safety Al LaCabe said.
Information on crimes involving juveniles or victims of sex crimes will not be on the maps.
Jeremy Bronson, special assistant to the mayor, said the site will help in neighborhood meetings because it will arm citizens with crime information that they can then discuss with city officials.
Bronson, who works full time in the police department, told cbs4denver.com the site took about a year-and-a-half to build after they came up with the idea. He said the city's site got a significant spike in traffic after CBS4 and other media outlets first reported on the story.
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