Dots on a Map
Holy cow look at all of those crimes on the map!!
That is what you'd first think looking at a crime map in a city like Baltimore. But, if you really think about it and think past all of the thefts, shootings, assaults, you start to think about how those icons got there. Think about the work and people involved to get a dot on a map.
It starts with 911. A concerned resident (like you) sees something suspicious or a crime and calls 911.
Then, the 911 Dispatcher collects as much information as possible about the incident. They then decide where, how, and how many officers to dispatch to a certain location.
This dispatching process takes equipment and technology. Phones, database systems, cars, radio, uniforms, badges, guns, and training.
Then comes the actual officer. Well trained officers are needed to respond to each and every dot on the SpotCrime map. We have a database of well over 15 million crimes. That's A LOT of work for police officers!
Once the officer responds to the call and takes a report, you have the support staff - HR, Records, Detectives, Public Information Officers - to read, classify, investigate, disseminate the information.
Finally, with the delicate balance of the right people and right technology, the points appear on SpotCrime. Talk about is a lot to manage for points on a map!
So remember, if you see a lot of icons on the map - although it is not a good sign - it also means someone responded to each and every one of those incidents. That's a lot of work, so make sure to thank your local police departments for all of their hard work. And thank them for sharing their data with SpotCrime. Stay aware and stay safe!
It starts with 911. A concerned resident (like you) sees something suspicious or a crime and calls 911.
Then, the 911 Dispatcher collects as much information as possible about the incident. They then decide where, how, and how many officers to dispatch to a certain location.
This dispatching process takes equipment and technology. Phones, database systems, cars, radio, uniforms, badges, guns, and training.
Then comes the actual officer. Well trained officers are needed to respond to each and every dot on the SpotCrime map. We have a database of well over 15 million crimes. That's A LOT of work for police officers!
Once the officer responds to the call and takes a report, you have the support staff - HR, Records, Detectives, Public Information Officers - to read, classify, investigate, disseminate the information.
Finally, with the delicate balance of the right people and right technology, the points appear on SpotCrime. Talk about is a lot to manage for points on a map!
So remember, if you see a lot of icons on the map - although it is not a good sign - it also means someone responded to each and every one of those incidents. That's a lot of work, so make sure to thank your local police departments for all of their hard work. And thank them for sharing their data with SpotCrime. Stay aware and stay safe!
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