New crime mapping technology launched in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Crime mapping technology that is brand new to the UK went live last week to help neighbourhoods across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight work more closely together to build safer communities.

CrimeReports, an online mapping tool that originates from North America, is a partnership project between Hampshire Constabulary, Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, the Probation Service and all district and unitary Councils across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Using information collated from these partner organisations, the interactive website features up-to-date, more frequent and detailed data to the public about crime, incidents and anti-social behaviour, as well as important information about how incidents are being tackled by partners at a local level.

CrimeReports (www.crimereports.co.uk) also enables the public to engage and work alongside their local police officers, police community support officers (PCSOs), accredited community safety officers and fire officers to help make their neighbourhoods safer.

Full picture

The system will be used in addition to, and not replace, the Government’s national online crime map police.uk and is part of a wider package of work initiated by the Home Office to make crime, justice and policing more transparent. The national map will be updated automatically from the information submitted by the Hampshire authorities using CrimeReports.

By entering their postcode, residents can:

•See crime/incidents in their area on a map;

•If they live in a Neighbourhood Watch area request to join online;

•Sign up to email updates and crime alerts;

•Submit an anonymous tip to Crimestoppers;

•See when their next neighbourhood meeting is taking place; and

•Contact their local police officers or partner agencies.

Hampshire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Laura Nicholson said: “While Hampshire and the Isle of Wight continue to be some of safest places to live in the UK with relatively low levels of crime and disorder, this new website is a great way for residents across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to get the full picture of what is happening in their local area. The system also includes what the police and partners are doing to improve safety in the local community.

“Members of the public can sign up to CrimeReports and receive crime and incident updates by email daily, weekly or monthly so they can continually be aware of what is happening in and around where they live and work.”

Leader of Hampshire County Council, Councillor Ken Thornber, added: “Never before has a crime mapping site provided this level of frequently updated detail and context about crimes and incidents in local communities.

“By working more closely together with our partners and residents living in local communities, we will be better positioned to target resources even more efficiently and effectively to help keep neighbourhoods safe and secure and help meet future challenges.”

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight project is one of a number of Home Office ‘trailblazer’ initiatives, exploring how data transparency can be improved locally across the UK. The borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and police forces including Thames Valley, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, Surrey and Leicestershire are currently taking part in similar projects.

Transparency

The projects are a key part of the Government’s transparency agenda, making crime and anti-social behaviour data available in an open format so that communities, local services and developers can use it to help people engage with the police in a meaningful way.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – a Big Society Vanguard – is working with Thames Valley Police to publish more detailed crime and anti-social behaviour data. This will enable trends in late-night anti-social behaviour to be identified and addressed, particularly in the licensin