Walter Pierce

LCG, LPD unveil new crime mapping site

by Walter Pierce

How safe is your neighborhood? Where are the most crimes in Lafayette occurring and with what frequency? Government and law enforcement officials in Lafayette have unveiled a new Crimeview system to help residents stay abreast of the less savory aspects of human nature. The site draws data from 9-1-1 calls to area law enforcement agencies and combines them into a single interface that can be searched and viewed by incident type, geographic area or date. The Crimeview system also allows residents to register for email alerts that report crimes near their residences. The site was recently completed through a collaborative effort of Lafayette Consolidated Government's Information Technology Department and the Lafayette Police Department.

"Citizens will now have the ability to be notified and to stay informed as to what is being reported within their neighborhoods," says Chief Jim Craft in a press release. "An informed public that reports crime can only improve the quality of life for all citizens within the Parish."

The site allows users to choose specific types of crime - residential, vehicle or business burglary; armed and simple robbery, theft, et cetera - which correlate to icons that can be layered over their neighborhood. Generally, choosing the most common violent and property crimes and layering them over the entire parish shows, as expected, these crimes tend to cluster in Lafayette's inner city.