Government promises neighbourhood crime maps

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The Government has announced the planned publication of online crime maps as part of a commitment to get people more involved with their local police.

Interactive maps on police websites will allow residents to track crime patterns in their communities and gather information they can use to hold their local police force to account. The Government pledged to increase engagement on crime issues in its paper Cutting Crime - a new strategy (new window) released in July last year, with futher measures put forward in its recent policing green paper (new window).

By the end of the year, every police force will begin mapping crime online so that residents can see where and when a crime has happened, compare crime rates in their neighbourhood to other areas and learn how crime is being tackled by local neighbourhood policing teams.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced the new initiative on a visit to Brierley police station in the West Midlands yesterday, where she saw a demonstration of how crime maps can be used. She also met with local residents to discuss how the maps will help them get more involved with local police tackling crime in their area.

She said:

"The public are the best weapon for fighting crime. By rolling out up-to-date, interactive crime maps, we can better inform people about crime problems in their area, and enable them to have much more of a say in what their local police focus on.

"This will help increase public confidence in the police and make communities safer."

The Prime Minister has made tackling crime and enabling public engagement on policing and other services a priority - in June he announced a list of measures designed to increase public involvement in the Government's public service reform paper [pdf].

Mr Brown also announced the introduction of neighbourhood policing teams, contactable by telephone or in community meetings, in all neighbourhoods at the beginning of April. Details of local teams can be found on the neighbourhood policing website (new window).

Read more about the crime map concept (new window)