SpotCrime - The Public's Crime Map

Liberty University fined for crime reporting violations, DC could be doing more to fight crime, FL curtails civilian oversight, PA lost data, police accountability reports, Baltimore sues ATF, fentanyl arrests surpass heroin arrests for first time, NYC deploys national guard, the cost of juvenile crime, juvenile crime rates, Shotspotter research, LAPD new RMS, police termination transparency, tough on crime grows prison populations, federal prisons are getting worse, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Liberty University fined $14 million for federal crime reporting violations  (NPR) D.C. agencies could do more to fight crime, reports auditor  (WashingtonTimes.com) see also:  DC auditor points to lagging performance by some crime-fighting agencies  (WTOP) A bill curtailing civilian oversight of police has passed the Florida House  (WFSU) see also:  Phoenix city agency tasked with monitoring police defends its work and independence  (AZFamily.com) Pa. state poli...

Minnesota police race discrimination, Justice Department releases funds to hiring officers, crisis hotlines, gag rules frustrate police accountability, shortcomings of police on campus, violence against police, juvenile gun possession, police surveillance, tech suppliers hostile to transparency, Illinois politics and prison board, and more... POLICE CONDUCT The Minnesota Department of Human Rights on Wednesday released a report showing the Minneapolis Police Department has engaged in a pattern of race discrimination for at least a decade.  (Pioneer Press) Justice Department Releases over $320 Million in Solicitations for Hiring Law Enforcement Officers, Improving School Safety, and Combating Distribution of Illicit Drugs  (DOJ) A new crisis hotline, 988, is coming this summer. Is Washington ready?  (Yakima Herald Republic) see also:  Most 911 Calls Have Nothing To Do With Crime. Why Are We Still Sending Police?  (vera.org) You Have the Duty to Remain Silent: How...

Hot spot policing, police accountability board, no knock warrants, gun violence, fighting drug related crime and overdoses, human trafficking, surveillance drones, body cams, mandatory sentences, FOIA watchlists, juvenile court fees, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Mayor Harrell announces ‘hot spot’ patrol crime initiative, push to rewrite local gun laws  (MyNorthWest.com) Salt Lake City officers are responding faster to critical 911 calls, police data shows  (Salt Lake Tribune) Minneapolis Suspends No-Knock Warrants After Police Killing  (The New York Times) Opinion: Police Accountability Board Mandate Could Be an Opportunity  (Maryland Matters) Mother's desperate search for answers in son's death earns rare victory against police  (NBC News) CRIME RATE What the data says about gun deaths in the U.S.  (Pew Research Center) see also:  ‘It’s gotten out of control because now there’s no accountability.’ Ealum breaks down gun crime data  (Owensboro Times)...

Louisiana law department that polices itself, medical workers for mental health, police officer identification stickers for special needs residents, stopping retail mob thefts, Indianapolis campus safety, gun violence, transparency and trust in law enforcement, public access to body cam footage, Tallahassee backtracks on new crime alert policy, second chances in Pennsylvania's sentencing system, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Former Clay County sheriff's criminal trial could be delayed  (First Coast News) UNWATCHED: A Louisiana Law Department That Polices Itself  (ProPublica) Florida massacre families to get millions for FBI’s inaction  (AP) As O.C. police face scrutiny for shootings, Irvine starts using medical workers for mental health calls  (LATimes) Police offering stickers for special needs residents  (The Downey Patriot) Billionaire Ross Perot, Jr. donates new helicopter to Dallas Police Department  (WFAA) Biden signs three bills benefitting police, firs...

In 2019, we published an op-ed at the University of Florida Brechner Center Freedom of Information outlining the issues Marsy’s Law has caused in the collection of public crime information. Two years later, Marsy's Law in Florida continues to take its toll on police transparency. Many other states have implemented their own version of Marsy’s Law without creating problems related to police transparency now faced in Florida. It appears other states have found ways to discern between the intent of Marsy’s Law to protect victims rights to privacy, while also making sure the public has access to pertinent information related to crime, policing, and government transparency. Luckily since our op-ed, we have not run into any other notable police agencies using Marsy’s Law as a blanket exemption to releasing public crime blotter information. However, the original three agencies - Polk County Sheriff, Pasco County Sheriff, and Lake County Sheriff - are still not making crime blotter inform...

Violence prevention spending, looking at data to keep police accountable, Colorado cop barred from policing ends up as police chief, civil litigation as instrument for police reform, gun violence, less crime around strip clubs than Airbnbs, COVID-19 leads to sweeping changes in jails, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Boston police emphasize de-escalation, disengagement in mental health calls  (Boston Globe) State, law enforcement officials offer different assessments of Police Integrity Transparency and Accountability Act ‘We need these types of bills to hold law enforcement accountable.’  (Greeley Tribune) Federal Civil Litigation as an Instrument of Police Reform: A Natural Experiment Exploring the Effects of the Floyd Ruling on Stop-and-Frisk Activities in New York City  (Academia.edu) A Colorado cop was supposed to be barred from law enforcement. Instead, he became interim police chief.  (Mercury News) Governor’s Policing Surge In Jackson May Not Prevent Violence, Addr...

Domestic violence increase linked to rise in violent crime, rising gun violence across US, body cams used for surveillance, banning facial recognition on the table, ethical AI, geofencing warrants may violate 4th amendment, rethinking 911, and more... POLICE CONDUCT Protests focus on over-policing. But under-policing is also deadly.  (WaPo) The “Camden Model” Is Not a Model. It’s an Obstacle to Real Change.  (Jacobin Mag) How Police Protect ‘White Spaces’ and Foster Segregated Housing  (TheCrimeReport.org) Military Presence Escalates Tension Among Public, Georgia State Criminologist Warns  (WABE) For meaningful reform, New York needs to catch up on crime data  (Washington Examiner) Dan Fagan: Bad police officers are a problem. But rising Louisiana crime is too.  (The Advocate) We Know How to Fix the Police. The data proves that regulating police behavior results in fewer killings of civilians.  (Reasonstobecheerful.com) Amazon Partnerships with Local L...

George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Philando Castille. The list goes on . All were victims of failed policing - use of force, implicit bias, ineffective policing, and bad community relationships. Good policing relationships are based on trust . To obtain trust, transparency is needed to cultivate healthy police-community relationships fostering an effective and open accountability feedback loop between the police and the communities they serve.  Crime datasets are a good place to start when building trust. Think of crime data transparency or open crime data as the basis for a grassroots (and free) neighborhood oversight board. This level transparency telegraphs a modern, progressive, and accountable police department that is focused on facing the data to improve operations.  Asking for open crime data means requiring police agencies to release more than just annual FBI UCR/NIBRS data . It means demanding timely, robust, and raw datasets that are available for anyone to access, do...

Policing riots and civil unrest, peaceful George Floyd protests, police and rioters clash while police and protesters work together, police accountability, police reform, police transparency, and more... POLICE CONDUCT 3 more cops charged in George Floyd death, other officer’s murder charge upgraded  (CNBC) Law enforcement agencies ban carotid restraint  (NBC San Diego) Houston officials to honor George Floyd with march, rally and offer to escort body  (Houston Chronicle) see also:  WATCH: Des Moines law enforcement kneels with protesters, dispersing group  (KCCI) and also:  Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson joins protesters marching for George Floyd  (NBC 25) These 4 charts describe police violence in America  (CNBC) see also:  Officer accused of pushing teen during protest has 71 use of force cases on file FDLE investigating Sunday incident involving Fort Lauderdale police officer Steven Pohorence  (Local10 News) How to reform Ameri...