Kinston Police Department Launches Interactive Live Crime Map
Kinston, NC — In a significant move to bolster community engagement and transparency, the Kinston Police Department has introduced a new Live Crime Map feature on its official website. This interactive tool aims to keep residents informed about recent criminal activities in their neighborhoods, marking a pivotal step in modernizing public access to crime data.
A Vision Realized
Kinston Police Major Brian Biggins emphasized that this initiative reflects a long-standing goal of Chief Keith Goyette. "For the past three years, Chief Goyette has strived for enhanced visibility within our community," Biggins stated. The implementation of a state-of-the-art records management system facilitated the partnership with LexisNexis, enabling the police to share validated crime incident reports more effectively.
Functional and User-Friendly
The Live Crime Map, accessible through the Kinston Police Department’s website, allows users to sift through crime data from the past week. By utilizing customizable filters, residents can explore various types of incidents across different locations and date ranges. To protect the privacy of individuals involved, the tool provides block-level data rather than exact addresses, ensuring that no personal details are disclosed.
Emma Slabbert, a recently appointed data analyst at the department, played a crucial role in bringing this project to fruition. "Our goal is to make the data easily accessible and comprehensible for the public," Slabbert remarked.
Real-Time Updates and Future Plans
The map’s functionality includes near real-time updates; within one to two hours after an incident report is validated, it appears on the map. However, this weekend will serve as a notable test of the system’s reliability in the absence of staff resources to provide weekend updates. The department has committed to monitoring the situation closely.
“This platform is about transparency and timely information dissemination,” Biggins explained. “We want our community to be informed—sometimes even before we have the chance to relay the information ourselves.”
Access and Additional Information
Residents looking to stay informed can access the Live Crime Map via the Kinston Police Department’s website or through social media links. For detailed reports or narratives related to specific incidents, the public may reach out directly to the department.
As the new tool becomes part of the daily life in Kinston, the police department aims to enhance not just awareness but also community trust and collaboration in crime prevention efforts.
This is a developing story; further updates will be provided as they become available.
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Bio: Marcus is a community-based journalist passionate about reporting impactful stories that matter most to readers.