Yesterday, on Inside the Lakeland Police Department they posted the Significant Calls for Service for Mar 05-11, 2007.
That is exactly the kind of information a government agency should share with the public. Unfortunately, they published it in the dreadful PDF format. I like plain text myself. It’s easier to do things like this:
That is the Lakeland Significant Calls for Service for March 05-11, 2007 plotted to a Google Map. You can click on a map pin to see the address and type of report. Click and hold to grab the map and move it around.
I’ll try to do this each time the reports are published.
If the map is missing, Atlas is having a hiccup. Try again in a few minutes.
Bio: The short line? Father, husband, writer. My online presence is primarily through as the editor, writer, and occasional photographer for the news sites, Lakeland Local, a sampling of the news, concerns, and events for Lakeland, Florida, and Metro i4 News, which covers the Interstate 4 corridor in Central Florida. Both sites feature the work of myself and other contributors. As a hobby, I manage a forum and some web sites that feature a pulp fiction series written by Lester Dent -- Doc Savage Organized, Doc Savage Info, and Flearun.
Asst Chief Bill LePere
3 years ago
Thanks Chuck for taking the time to create the crime pin map. We plan to post the Significant Events report on a weekly basis (generally around Thursday) so the public can learn what crimes are occurring in their neighborhood. We also appreciate the suggestion about plain text and will explore plotting onto a Google map. For right now the reports will continue to be posted in PDF as we move forward with your suggestion.
Chuck Welch
3 years ago
Thanks for posting the information.
While it was a PDF, at least it wasn’t a protected PDF like I’ve seen elsewhere. I was able to pull the information out and move it into a spreadsheet without a lot of trouble.
I just commented on your post about why I believe releasing that report was a major positive public relations step for the LPD.
Thanks.
Bill Hyatt
3 years ago
Chuck this is the best tool I’ve seen in a long time to use for business that needs the foreseeablety in planing the prevention tools needed. Anticipating and recognizing a crime pattern is very important in scheduling.
Thanks and please continue with this program.