SpotCrime - The Public's Crime Map

SpotCrime has begun to map crime data from the LAPD again ! The public data feed Spotcrime was using to map LAPD data was interrupted in 2011 when  LAPD moved from an open mapping system to first providing data solely to the LA Times and then contracting with a police vendor to map crime for the public. Recently, the LAPD published a public crime data feed again on their website via a FTP (file transfer protocol). We feel this is great step in the right direction for departments, especially for departments of LAPD's size. A public data feed in spreadsheet format available for anyone to view electronically with no restrictions on sharing shows true transparency with crime data within a department. Make sure to thank the LAPD for their work toward publishing a feed. And if you live in the LA area, be sure to sign up for your local crime alert from SpotCrime . We will send you a crime map tailored to your address and specific radius directly to your inbox! Stay aware, st

This post is a response to LA Times article by Ben Welsh regarding the Torrance Crime Map. Link Here   While I think the LA Times brings up important issues regarding what should be released in terms of crime data particularly rape offenses, I think it is also important to discuss that having the dominant newspaper in a city get an exclusive feed to crime data is not a long term positive for the public.  In LA for example, you have two players with exclusive data access to crime - The LA Times and the crime mapping vendor being paid by the city.  Both entities have economic incentives to keep their exclusive access to the detriment of the public. While there should be no expectation that either entity should not pursue their economic goals, it should be incumbent on the city and the police department to have policies in place that don't allow monopoly access to one or a few entities.   Allowing one or a few entities have monopoly control over timely public crime data allows those