DC Police Release New 'Crime Maps'

The mapping application recently introduced by the Metropolitan Police Department displays the crime activity for a specified address, police zone, or other general area in the District.

The customizable crime map shows all the crimes committed within a designated distance from the chosen location (from 100-1500 feet) over a defined time period (from up to two years ago.)

Users can display the total crimes committed in the general area, or choose to display only particular types of crime at once.

Crimes are depicted by different icons that signify the type of offense that occurred.

This graphical representation of crime data presents a clearer portrait of crime by exhibiting the location of offenses. With this tool, people can acquire a better sense of a neighborhood or general area, as well as identify the environment around certain points of interest.

Unfortunately, while this concept is great, the execution leaves much to be desired and limits the effectiveness of this tool. The only browser it currently works on is Microsoft Internet Explorer, so Firefox and Safari users- you are out of luck.  (For another service that maps crimes for all browsers, check out http://www.crimeindc.org/)