Crime maps launched
Plans to roll out new interactive crime maps, allowing people in England and Wales to access the latest local crime information in their areas, have been launched today.
The rollout of the interactive maps follows the announcement made by home secretary Jacqui Smith last month, as part of the policing green paper, that every police force in the country has to deliver monthly crime information to the public on their websites.
The Home Office announced on Monday that by the end of 2008 every police force in the country will produce interactive crime maps which allow the public they serve to view a variety of crime statistics.
These include where and when crime has occurred in their local area, how their area compares to other areas and how crime is being tackled by their local neighbourhood policing team.
The Home Office claims the new maps will provide the public with all the information they need to hold their police force to account.
Home secretary Jacqui Smith said on Monday: “The public are the best weapon for fighting crime.
“By rolling out up-to-date, interactive crime maps we can better inform people about crime problems in their area and enable them to have much more of a say in what their local police focus on. This will help increase public confidence in the police and make communities safer.
“The latest annual crime figures showed another drop in crime nationwide but it’s important that people understand what this means to them in their local area and where challenges remain.”
Sir Norman Bettison, from the Association of Chief Police Officers, (Acpo) supported the crime maps, saying: “Acpo supports the roll-out of this facility nationally and will be assisting the Home Office in taking it forward.”
Conservative shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve accused the government of stealing the idea from the Tories.
“Yet again we see a government that is out of ideas trying to steal Conservative policy. Our proposals detailed in April will go much further by setting up quarterly beat meetings – along with directly elected commissioners – to restore real local accountability to policing,” he said.
“Labour must realise that crime mapping is only part of the solution. Urgent action is also required to slash the red tape that is tying officers to their desks and keeping them off the streets, where the public want to see them.”
The Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) criticised the move, claiming it could “wipe thousands of pounds off house prices overnight”.
RICS spokesperson James Scott-Lee said: “Whilst RICS fully supports efforts by the government to reduce instances of crime, publishing this information will no doubt have an effect on local house prices – not to dissimilar to school and hospital league tables.
“In the current economic climate, publicising in a sensational manner high crime areas in such detail could literally wipe thousands of pounds off of house prices over night, further disadvantaging those who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
The sixth national crime mapping conference is due to take place in Manchester today.
