Webster Groves launches new electronic crime map

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Webster Groves launches new electronic crime map

9-1-1 Technology, Tech | Caitlin | September 6, 2011 at 12:32 pm

WEBSTER GROVES, MO — Webster Groves residents and business owners now have access to real-time reports on criminal activity in the city through an electronic mapping system called CrimeReports.com.

The program draws data live from the Webster Groves Police Department’s computer-aided dispatch system. It then places the calls on a map, which labels each incident with an icon. Users can click on the icon to find detailed information about the call or incident.

Webster Groves is one of only a handful of St. Louis-area police departments that have signed up for the service, said Webster Groves Capt. Stephen Spear. Prior to choosing CrimeReports.com, the department researched several different crime-reporting options, including the St. Louis County CARE program.

“That’s a great program, but it only lists reports, not calls, and only 25 percent of the calls we go on necessitate reports,” he said. “We may respond to 35 calls a day, but only three or four may generate a report. We feel the map better reflects our activity, and I can’t think of a better way to give the city access to our calls and dispatch than this.”

The map is updated by the Missouri State Patrol and also provides information on registered sex offenders in the area, including names, photos and addresses. The service costs the department just under $100 a month.

“It’s extremely reasonable compared to the thousands of dollars it would cost if we were to buy our own software package,” Spears said. “We previewed the map to residents at several of our National Night Out events, and the feedback was extremely positive.”

However, Spears cautions anyone using the map to check back frequently because the nature of calls can change.

“For example, say we get a call from a homeowner reporting a burglary in progress, and that someone is kicking in the front door,” he said. “That’s what will be reported on the map because it’s in real time. However, we might get there and find that the noise was a screen door slamming, and while it certainly spooked the homeowner, the nature of the call has changed and the map is amended.”

Mayor Gerry Welch said she hasn’t received much feedback on the mapping system, probably because residents don’t know about it yet.

You can access the map through the city’s website or go to CrimeReports.com and type in Webster Groves.

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