Met Police crime maps online

 

Gallery

By Stuart Turton

Posted on 15 Aug 2008 at 13:59

A beta version of the Metropolitan Police's crime maps service is now up and running.

Built on Google Maps, the tool displays crime figures in London by ward, and colour codes each area according to whether it is a high, average or low crime area.

The maps are intended to give users are general overview of the crime in their area, and provides information on the number of crimes committed each month and whether that figure is rising or falling.

More detailed crime maps have been proposed by the Mayor of London which will "show the true crime levels in every neighbourhood" including specific streets and offences, however, the plans have met with resistance from privacy groups. Estate agents are also unimpressed, given the effects these maps could have on house prices.

Plans are also afoot by the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to provide detailed crime maps of the entire country, with the aim of educating local people on the problems in their area.