ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has launched a new crime-mapping tool to allow residents to track incidents around the city.
The department and Mayor Tishaura Jones said that the tool was to increase transparency around crime and its prevention.
“An informed public is a safer public,” said Jones. “Everyone has a role to play in preventing crime in our city, and this new crime map is another tool in our toolbox."
The tool will allow residents to see incidents in any of the city's neighborhoods, including their own. It has symbols to show the type of crime and clicking on the images gives you details of what happened.
You can even sign up to receive alerts if something amiss happens in an area you select.
The crimes that are tracked include: arson, assault, burglary, disturbing the peace, drug abuse violations, DUI, fraud, homicide, vehicle theft, robbery, general theft, vandalism, break-ins and weapons violations. The map is updated every 24 hours. Crimes will remain on the map for 180 days.
The city said the tool brings back mapping, which was a part of the crime tool belt for the city until 2022, when the city denied to renew a contract with a previous vendor.
"The launch of Crime Mapping is an additional information-sharing tool that reaffirms our commitment to trust and transparency,” said St. Louis police Chief Robert Tracy. “From misdemeanor offenses to the most serious crimes, our residents and business leaders will have access to timely and relevant data.”
Last year, St. Louis experienced its lowest homicide rate in a decade and the largest year over year reduction in crime in 90 years.