Mapping Errors

CrimeReports has a greater than 99% mapping accuracy rate; however, occasionally a crime incident or address may be mapped in the wrong place, have the wrong information, or not appear at all. There are several reasons why these anomalies might occur:

• Google Maps Error—If a crime or address does not appear on the map, the Google map may be outdated and may not recognize the location, this is especially true when looking at new housing developments or new roads. If your address does not appear on the map, and you would like further assistance, see the Google Maps User Guide.
• Reporting Error—If a crime is in the wrong place or there is an error in the information (date, time, type, etc.), the error may be part of the original police report itself. Because CrimeReports receives official crime information directly from law enforcement agencies, if an error exists in the original record, that error will be reflected on the map.
• Upload Delay—Each law enforcement agency records its crime reports in Records Management Systems (RMS) and Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems. If a crime has recently occurred, it will not be posted to the CrimeReports map until after it has been recorded and processed by those systems and then sent to CrimeReports—usually after 24 hours.
• Upload Schedule—Most agencies upload data every 24 hours; however, some agencies upload their data less frequently. If a crime does not appear right away, it may appear in the next 24 hours or more, depending on the upload schedule of the reporting agency.
• Victim Privacy—Many agencies choose not to display sexual assaults, domestic disputes, rape, murder, or other serious, violent crimes for the sake of victim privacy.
• Ongoing Investigations—Some crimes are not displayed because they are part of an ongoing investigation. Prematurely releasing information to the public may harm those investigations.
• Sex Offender Data—CrimeReports receives a national feed of sex offender data that is updated on a weekly basis. If after a few weeks the sex offender data is still incorrect, click here to let us know. We’ll verify the information and make any necessary changes.
• Expired Data—CrimeReports only provides crime information to the public for the previous 6 months. If a crime was committed more than 6 months ago, it will no longer appear on the map.
• Status/Type Error—From time to time, the investigation of a crime leads to the re-classification of the crime type or a complete dismissal of the crime itself. Any change in the status or type of a crime will be reflected on the CrimeReports map.