2015: The Year of Open Crime Data

Every police agency has options on how to bring crime information to the public.

For example,  the AMBER Alert tool is almost universally used. The idea is that if a child is taken an alert is sent to anyone and everyone so the quicker the information gets to the public the better of saving the child and reducing harm to the child. (EDIT: A couple of days after we published this post, Facebook announced their AMBER Alert program!)

Not all crime events can have the same urgency as an AMBER alert - there's a huge difference between the robbery around the corner and an AMBER alert - but why should your access to these two pieces of

information be different. All crime information can have the same level of openness - meaning the ability of the press and the public to use, share, and distribute the information is equal.

Police agencies have varying degrees of sharing crime data. We've summed them up into four:

1. Agencies don't share much at all. The occasional press release.

2. Agencies use an archaic or old technology often developed in late 80's, or early 90's to share crime data. Occasionally using Microsoft Silverlight (we've found this application very hard to use). The agency might as well not share the data.

3. Agencies use a proprietary crime mapping system. RaidsOnline, CrimeMapping, CrimeReports, etc. This is a great way to show the public the data, but it simultaneously restricts the press from sharing the information. The regular explanation given by agencies who use proprietary systems is it serves as a method to control the information to the public and control the representation. However, it also limits transparency, tabulation, and accountability. Using proprietary crime mapping vendors allow the public and the press to look at the data, while preventing anyone from adding it up.

4. Agencies are wide open (this is the best)! They're publishing the data in an open and unrestricted format for everyone to look at and share. This increases the value and reach of the data like the AMBER Alerts. Respecting and valuing the public and the freedom of the press and fearlessly and accepting accountability.

So where is your agency going to fall on the spectrum of sharing crime data with the public?
Are they going Ostrich by avoiding any mention, are they quasi-open by using an artificially restricted proprietary system, or are they going full tilt transparent?

Lets make 2015 the year of police agency transparency. For every agency that asks for public help in capturing the bad guys, we hope they give full faith in their public by openly sharing what is going
on. We are all in the same fight to reduce crime and have mutual respect for the law.

If you need help on steps to make your data public check out information on SpotCrime Catapult or SOCS (SpotCrime Open Crime Standard). 

SpotCrime, the most visited crime mapping website in 2014, is an independent news source committed to delivering crime data to the public.