DEARBORN HEIGHTS, MI (9/11/14) – The Dearborn Heights Police Department has initiated a new web-based program that allows them to quickly share information on local crimes with the public.
According to Crime Prevention Officer Cpl. Mark Parrinello, the program allows residents to view a web-based map that shows recent crime activity near any given address in the city. Viewing options for residents include the selection of crime types, date ranges, and the ability to receive email updates, crime alerts, and reports.
“Citizen involvement is one of our best tools for helping avoid crimes,” said Parrinello. “This will be a great resource for both the department and our residents. It will give them very recent information on crime events that take place throughout the city, so they can be aware of what is going in their neighborhoods. Armed with this type of information, residents can be more watchful of their (and their neighbors’) homes for suspicious activity, as well as taking other proactive measures such as leaving outdoor lights on, securely locking doors and vehicles, etc. Things like this will help reduce the likelihood of a criminal doing repeat business in that area.”
The program, created by Crimemapping.com, also allows for a more accurate distribution of crime information.
“Sometimes, neighborhood and city blog writers will receive multiple reports of the same burglary. Unfortunately, the writer doesn’t know if these are multiple reports of the same crime, or if multiple crimes have actually taken place. This program assigns a case number to each incident, so there is no potential for inadvertent duplication,” he said.
To access the information, residents simply go to the Crimemapping.com, click on the Michigan map, then select “Dearborn Heights” from the drop-down menu.
The information can be accessed by residents at no charge.
For more information on the program, residents can contact Cpl. Parrinello at (313) 277-7414, or mparrinello@ci.dearborn-heights.mi.us.
[A link to Crime Mapping will remain on the TIFA website under “Helpful Links for Residents”]
Source: Dearborn Heights Police Department
