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SafeCity™
Enter the Alton SafeCity™ system
by Elizabeth Kinzy-Ivanov of GeoDecisions, published in the Winter 2004 edition of Crime Mapping News
SafeCity™ is a Web-based geographic information system (GIS) for crime mapping developed by Kinetic Solutions, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri. Typically, crime mapping applications are available only to law enforcement agencies; SafeCity™ differentiates itself from the mainstream of crime mapping applications because it also provides access to the general public. SafeCity™ uses very simple Web interfaces to allow citizens with basic computer skills to access vital information about crimes and calls for service in their own community. The public accessibility of SafeCity™ allows for very effective communication between residents and law enforcement by making residents more aware of conditions in their community, and in return seeking their feedback.
In 2001, SafeCity™ was implemented by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The Web site ran behind the scenes for approximately eight months before being launched publicly in 2002.
With SafeCity’s proven success, the City of Alton, Illinois, has recently implemented its own SafeCity™ program. As with St. Louis’ SafeCity™, residents of Alton will be able to query the system through easy-to-use Web pages by selecting various search options based on type of crime, date, time of day, and street address. Deputy Chief of Police, Jody O’Guinn, offered the following insight: “The Web site will prove to be a unique and essential tool for the Alton Police Department and the citizens we serve. It will allow us to create visual representations of crime and social problems within our city by automatically geo-coding the location of calls for service, reported crimes,a nd other police activities. The possibilities are endless and we are very excited about adding this analytical tool to our planning and management strategy, which in turn will help the Alton Police Department serve the community in a significantly more effective and educated fashion.”
SafeCity™ will also support Alton’s Nuisance Abatement strategy, which is one of the priorities of the federally-funded department of Justice Weed and Seed Program. Customized reporting modules have been developed that will help police and code enforcement officials track complaints and identify nuisance addresses. Police activities, calls for service, code complaints, and subsequent violations at nuisance addresses will be continually monitored so that appropriate attention may be directed toward these targets. “The crime mapping and mapping of nuisance properties is an excellent tool for the citizens, law enforcement, and for building inspectors. By placing information at various levels, we further empower people to assist in taking back the neighborhoods and making them safer places for their children, grandchildren, and/or friends,” says Wayne Watson. Watson, the retired district commander for the Illinois State Police, is serving as Alton’s law enforcement consultant for the city’s Weed and Seed Program.
Enter the Alton SafeCity™ system
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