BRIDGEPORT — You can now check crime stats for your neighborhood online, almost in real time, with more categories on the way.
Last month, the Bridgeport Police Department quietly rolled out a “community crime map” on its website using technology from LexisNexis. This new feature allows residents to access crime data neighborhood by neighborhood.
“It gives people the ability to see for themselves what’s happening in their communities,” said Chief Roderick Porter on Friday. “It’s good for people to know what’s going on. (And) maybe it will encourage them to share information with us as well.”
Deputy Chief James Baraja explained that the data comes from the department’s emergency dispatch system and is presented in an easy-to-use format. When you visit the website, you’re first greeted with a map of the United States. Type “Bridgeport, CT” into the search bar, and the map zooms in on the city, showing icons that represent three types of property crime: residential burglaries, commercial burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts.
“We didn’t want people’s personal information out there,” Baraja said, explaining the focus on these specific crimes.
Before this online map, if you wanted to know about crime in your area, you’d have to call the police department or visit in person to request data. Now you can do it all from home. For instance, if you live in the North End and want to know about stolen cars, you can click on that neighborhood to see the relevant data.
Chief Porter and Deputy Chief Baraja said that this new map is part of a broader push for greater transparency. In recent years, under former Chief Rebeca Garcia and now Porter, the department has been working to improve its website and make it easier for the public to access information.
For now, the map only tracks property crimes, but Baraja said that more categories will be added soon. “We’re going to add more data to it,” he said. “All the major felonies and some quality-of-life issues that people are interested in.” Brian Lockhart is a reporter with the Connecticut Post, covering politics and policy. He also has covered politics for the Stamford Advocate and the city of Norwalk for The Norwalk Hour.
