The James City County Police Department announced Tuesday the release of an app that’s an extension of RAIDS Online, the free crime tracking software county citizens can use to monitor and track crime throughout the county.
JCC citizens can find the app in the App Store for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. With the app — or the website — you can see recent crime activity based off an address or your current location. Sorry, Android users: Though an app for your phone is in development, it has not yet been released.
The map is offered by free from a software company called BAIR Analytics. Law enforcement agencies provide the data which is then uploaded into the system for the public to see, according to a news release from James City County.
Alicia Lamm, a crime analyst for James City County, said she found out about the free software from an email she received because of her membership in the International Association of Crime Analysts. She said James City County became the first law enforcement agency in Virginia to use the software, though York County and Newport News are now among the Virginia localities that use it.
The map can be used to set up alerts. Lamm said she recommends using the weekly alert option to receive any crime news for a specific part of the county. The system will send you an email with a breakdown of the information.
Only items that receive written police reports end up on the map, Lamm said. Calls for service won’t appear unless they result in a report. The map also only shows the 100-block where the crime took place instead of listing a specific address so as to avoid exposing any victims.
“You can also submit crime tips like ‘I know who broke into that business,’” Lamm said of the map. “You can be anonymous and post through the site and we’ll get it.”
Lamm said there has been one instance of someone submitting a tip through the site, which she forwarded to investigators.
WYDaily.com’s front page links to the map. You can find it by hovering your cursor over “Local News” at the top of the page, and then selecting “Crime Locator Map.” Or click here.
