Charles, St. Mary's Share Data On Crime

Web Site Is Part Of Statewide Effort

Enter a location. Click a mouse. See an interactive map of crime in an area.

In two of three Southern Maryland counties, it's that simple. In the other, it soon will be.

The sheriff's offices in Charles and St. Mary's counties have begun sharing their crime statistics with http://www.crimereports.com, which allows users to enter a location and see a map of crimes reported in the area. Users can even specify a time period.

"I love it because any citizen can go there and enter their address and see what's going on around them," St. Mary's Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron (R) said. "It really simplifies our desire to get that information out to the community in a packet that is easy to use."

Charles and St. Mary's are among 24 law enforcement agencies statewide using the site, with 12 others in the process of implementing the technology. The Calvert County Sheriff's Office is preparing to sign up soon, Sheriff Mike Evans (R) said.

Using the Web site is part of a statewide initiative designed to standardize how law enforcement agencies report data and to recognize regional crime trends, said Ed Parker, deputy director for operations for the Governor's Office of Crime, Control and Prevention. The state has offered to subsidize the counties' cost of posting their crime data on the site -- $199 a month for jurisdictions such as Charles and St. Mary's that have populations greater than 50,000 -- for the first year, he said.

"The big thing that I see is that it does enable us as a state to coordinate activities and analyze crime patterns and trends on a regional basis," Parker said. "Of course, the ultimate goal is seamless coordination and consistent information sharing to improve public safety."

The display is similar to old-school pushpin maps, except it's digital. Anyone, not just a sheriff's deputy, can access it. The site also allows users to sign up for e-mail alerts about crime in their area.

The Charles Sheriff's Office has been posting crime statistics online for years but started using http://www.crimereports.com only a few weeks ago, spokeswoman Diane Richardson said. The benefit of the site is that it provides a map of all crime in an area, she said.

"We think it's a wonderful tool for the community to have to get a visual idea of what's going on in their community," she said.

Evans said his office had intended to start using the site after a computer system upgrade. When that upgrade was delayed, he said, so was the use of the Web site.

"It's definitely a smart idea," he said.

Cameron said the Web site is part of two larger goals in his office: data-driven policing and improved interoffice communication. His office also has been holding weekly meetings to discuss crime trends and allocating resources according to data and information from deputies on patrol.

"In its purest form, what you're doing is you're mapping crime, and you're looking for trends," he said. "When you see trends, you come up with strategies and tactics, and you apply resources."