Open crime data in Irving, Texas: an uphill battle
UPDATE:
We are now getting crime data from Irving, TX! SpotCrime is required to FOIA this information each time we want updates. The Irving PD is giving this information for free (via an automatically updated feed) to a private vendor that restricts how the public and press can use the information, but they do not require the vendor to send a FOIA request each time they'd like to update the data on their website. Ultimately, we would like to see this data published to an open data portal. We are not sure when or if this will be accomplished.
We'd like to note that we've paid for programming for the city to pull this data and to set up automatic updates, similar to how the department is automatically updating their third party private vendor, however, Chief Spivey and the city have elected not to set up automatic updates. Instead, they are making a city employee manually pull and send the data each time it is requested. We believe this to be an intentional waste of time and resources because this process can be fully automated on Irving's end. We are not entirely sure why Irving is not automating this process, especially because they are already automatically sending it to a third party (and SpotCrime paid for programming o make this possible).
We've also asked for the data we receive to be published to the open data portal for anyone to collect, use, and share. The programming we've paid for should allow for this to be possible. SpotCrime has reached out to both Chief Spivey and the city of Irving about publishing the files we get to the open data portal, but Chief Spivey and the city of Irving have elected to not pursue open crime data.
We encourage you to request this same data if you are interested in collecting this information for yourself. Feel free to reference the file SpotCrime gets in your request. We implore you to please ask Chief Spivey and the city of Irving to make daily updated public crime data available on Irving open data portal.
ORIGINAL POST:
It is our view that a fundamental resource for a modern police department is crime data made openly available to citizens and the press, meaning it is free for anyone to access, collect, use, and share.
We are now getting crime data from Irving, TX! SpotCrime is required to FOIA this information each time we want updates. The Irving PD is giving this information for free (via an automatically updated feed) to a private vendor that restricts how the public and press can use the information, but they do not require the vendor to send a FOIA request each time they'd like to update the data on their website. Ultimately, we would like to see this data published to an open data portal. We are not sure when or if this will be accomplished.
We'd like to note that we've paid for programming for the city to pull this data and to set up automatic updates, similar to how the department is automatically updating their third party private vendor, however, Chief Spivey and the city have elected not to set up automatic updates. Instead, they are making a city employee manually pull and send the data each time it is requested. We believe this to be an intentional waste of time and resources because this process can be fully automated on Irving's end. We are not entirely sure why Irving is not automating this process, especially because they are already automatically sending it to a third party (and SpotCrime paid for programming o make this possible).
We've also asked for the data we receive to be published to the open data portal for anyone to collect, use, and share. The programming we've paid for should allow for this to be possible. SpotCrime has reached out to both Chief Spivey and the city of Irving about publishing the files we get to the open data portal, but Chief Spivey and the city of Irving have elected to not pursue open crime data.
We encourage you to request this same data if you are interested in collecting this information for yourself. Feel free to reference the file SpotCrime gets in your request. We implore you to please ask Chief Spivey and the city of Irving to make daily updated public crime data available on Irving open data portal.
ORIGINAL POST:
It is our view that a fundamental resource for a modern police department is crime data made openly available to citizens and the press, meaning it is free for anyone to access, collect, use, and share.
We wanted to share the interaction and the state of open crime data in Irving,TX. By sharing this interaction, we hope to educate anyone looking to make crime data open in their community.
Open crime data is imperative for transparency and policing
Open crime data allows joint problem solving, innovation, enhanced understanding, and accountability between communities and the law enforcement agencies that serve them. ‘Open’ meaning the data is available for anyone to collect, copy, use, and share without restrictions.
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| Dallas Police Open Data Portal |
Many police agencies in the Irving area share data openly already.
Dallas was one of the first followed by Fort Worth, Grand Prairie, and now Denton does it too. By opening up crime data in their city, these agencies are now getting crime mapping for free from multiple companies. Irving is still paying for their crime mapping.
The Background
For almost 10 years SpotCrime had been getting public crime data from the Irving police department and reporting to citizens at no cost. Late last year, the crime data stopped and we were slow to respond.
We asked Irving Police Chief Spivey for the data to be turned back on, and he said “No”.
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| Free SpotCrime crime map for Irving, TX |
His reasoning was because the decision to share data with SpotCrime was made with an old administration. The Chief and Mayor made an arbitrary decision to turn off access to public information.
When we asked again, the Chief said he and the Mayor’s office would allow the feed to be turned back on, their only ask being SpotCrime sign an indemnity agreement from the City of Irving.
We work with hundreds, if not thousands, of police agencies nationwide. Irving is the only city to ask for an agreement in place before we can receive public crime information.
One response that we got from Irving is that they pay a vendor to provide this information to the public.
Not only is Irving paying for crime mapping, the vendor they use does not have a mobile app or mobile access. This means that approximately 60% of the population who uses a mobile device to access the internet can not view crime data in their Irving neighborhood.
Additionally, Chief Spivey and city administration informed us that SpotCrime would now be charged $71 a day for data. Previously, we were getting the data for free.
This means that Irving wants to charge SpotCrime $25,000/year for access to public information. This is a completely unreasonable charge and far exceeds our estimate of the actual cost incurred in accessing, duplicating, supplying, or searching for the requested records. See Irving’s breakdown of the charges here.
With live in a digital age, the cost of making this data available is near zero. We have offered to pay up to $2,000 for the one time programming costs to get the data feed back online similar to the previous Irving administration. However, we do still believe any fee should be waived because making this data available benefits the public. And, it is important to note that the crime mapping vendor Irving uses gets the data for free.
For more background, you can view correspondence with Irving here.
Dereliction of duty
We have pointed out to Irving that the vendor is not open data. It does not allow the public or press to copy, collect, use or share the information.
Why would any modern police department allow a vendor they are paying to put restrictions on citizens and the press. How does limiting the ability to share help the public and reduce crime?
This is a dereliction of duty on the police and city’s behalf.
Allowing a preferential company better access to public information is not in the interest of transparency. It demonstrates an almost intentional priority to not be transparent with crime data. Doing this locks the data in a siloed and controlled environment that can’t be inspected, therefore, reducing accountability. There is inherent incongruity with the obscure explanation that a police department can filter the data for a vendor to report publicly, but can not filter for public access.
The solution for public good
Currently, we are still waiting for Irving to send over indemnity language and we are providing pushback on the charges. We have offered to pay a one time fee of up to $2,000 to create this programming, but Irving has not taken us up on this offer. And, we have started to FOIA the data from them.
The best solution is for Irving to deliver crime data openly for anyone to access, use, and share, like hundreds of agencies across the US are already doing.
You can help!
If you feel the same way, please ask Chief Spivey and Mayor Stopfer to make Irving crime data open and available for anyone to access, use, and share. Let them know that you value transparency with crime data.
If you feel the same way, please ask Chief Spivey and Mayor Stopfer to make Irving crime data open and available for anyone to access, use, and share. Let them know that you value transparency with crime data.
Chief Jeff Spivey
(972) 721-2598
Mayor Rick Stopfer
Mayor Rick Stopfer
rstopfer@cityofirving.org
(972) 721-2410
(972) 721-2410
Safety begins with knowing
SpotCrime is the largest crime alerting system in the US. Including our partnerships with companies like Ring, Zillow, and Life360 as well as our mobile apps, we estimate we are getting crime information to more of the public than any other crime mapping vendor in the nation.
Our mission is to help reduce crime by quickly and clearly informing the public of crime events in their neighborhood. We do this without charging citizens or police agencies. And without claiming control over the public’s data.
Have thoughts or feedback?
SpotCrime can be reached at:
feedback@spotcrime.com
619-663-7768
619-663-7768
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