The Medford and Somerville Police Departments have incorporated new technology into their operations in an effort to provide more up-to-date information to their communities about crimes occurring in their area.
The Medford Police Department has implemented CrimeReports.com, an online crime data system that allows officers to share crime reports filed by their department with the public on a real-time basis, identifying the location of the incident on a map of the city.
"The whole site is intended to allow police departments to share data with the public," Greg Whisenant, founder and CEO of CrimeReports.com, told the Daily. "It's easy, affordable, and it lives inside police department software."
CrimeReports is used by police departments across the country and by over 20 universities including University of Georgia and University of Utah, according to Whisenant. The system provides a useful service for college campuses, Whisenant said, helping colleges meet the requirements of Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.
The Medford Police Department began using the system six months ago in order to improve communication with the public and to help them be more aware of what occurs in the community, according to Medford Police Lieutenant Paul Covino.
"It's a good public information tool," Covino said. "It gives people an idea of what's going on and makes them more aware of the types of crimes that are prevalent in the city."
Nearby, the Somerville Police Department is also looking into new methods of connecting with the public and raising awareness about crime in the area.
Somerville Police Chief Anthony Holloway told the Daily that the department is currently exploring the possibility of incorporating CrimeReports and is in the process of building a crime reporting text-messaging service known as TIPS 411.
"We're trying to find the quickest way to get the information out to the community," Holloway said. "If that's CrimeReports, we'll use it. If that's TIPS 411, that's what we're going to use."
Whisenant, a former Somerville resident, believes the increased use of CrimeReports marks a shift in philosophy among police departments.
"The existing paradigm is to not share data, to be protectionist, but I think police are finding that if they give information to the public, the public can better avoid being a victim," Whisenant said. "Knowledge is power. Police departments realize that it's about putting the public on their side in fighting crime."
Covino, however, was quick to warn against reading too much into the usefulness of the site. "CrimeReports gives you a very simple view of what is going on. Let's say when you look at the map, you see several ‘As' for assault. What it doesn't tell you is how those assaults occur," Covino said. "It can paint a false picture."
Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Captain Mark Keith voiced similar concerns.
"I'm not sure how long the reports are kept on there or how often they renew it, but sometimes it can just become a clutter of information," Keith said.
Covino remained skeptical as to whether the system will lead to a reduction in crime on campus and in the community.
"The only way CrimeReports helps reduce crime is if it inspires people to get more involved and we get back to working with citizens on a ground level in target areas," Covino said.
Keith was more optimistic. "Anytime people have the awareness of what's going on around them, it helps in being able to foresee and prevent some incidents from happening," he said.
For now, according to Holloway, Somerville's top priority is ensuring that the new TIPS 411 system is introduced smoothly.
TIPS 411 allows anyone in the community to submit anonymous tips to the police through either text messages or picture messages of the suspects. Somerville police will also send out text-message alerts related directly to crime in the person's neighborhood if community members sign up for alerts.
Holloway is trying to implement TIPS 411 within the Tufts community as well. "We want to get information out to the community, and Tufts is part of that," he said.
TUPD has not looked into either system particularly extensively. Keith said TUPD will try to raise awareness about TIPS 411 on campus once Somerville finishes implementing it.
