STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A new tool from Sterling Heights police allows you to pinpoint exactly what kind of crime is happening in a specific location.
The digital crime map tool was went live Tuesday on the city's website "so members of the public can view the types and locations of crime happening in Sterling Heights."
Sterling Heights Information Technology team created the map with the intention to increase community awareness and data transparency, as well as provide residents with resources to monitor crime activity in their neighborhood.
The team posts all incidents police respond to, "except those that potentially put a victim at risk or expose an undercover operation."
“By plotting what, when, and where crimes are occurring, Sterling Heights Police leadership will be able to use the resulting visual data to identify crime hotspots,” said IT Director Steve Deon.”
Here's what you can do with the map:
- See crime nearly real-time crime activity based on their current location or a desired location
- Feel empowered to better understand crime trends and potentially help lower crime in their neighborhoods based on the information
- Provide anonymous tips through the website if they have information on a crime that occurred
“Our goal is reducing crime through a better-informed citizenry,” said Sterling Heights Police Captain Ken Pappas. “Creating more self-reliance among community members is a great benefit to community-oriented policing efforts and has been proven effective in combating crime.”
Click here to view the crime activity happening near you.
