CrimeReports.com FAQs

What is CrimeReports.com? CrimeReports.com is an online mapping and analysis service provided by Public Engines, Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.  CrimeReports.com combines the value of police data with the ease-of-use of Google-based mapping and an analytics module so that members of the public can view police data in a high-impact map or summary descriptive format. Members of the public may also sign up to receive free email alerts based on user-defined parameters (e.g., geography, crime types, frequency, etc.). 

What type of Los Altos Police Department (LAPD) data is used in CrimeReports.com?  The CrimeReports.com service utilizes calls-for-service (CFS) data from the LOS ALTOS POLICE CAD system.  CAD stands for Computer Aided Dispatch. CAD is a highly specialized application that allows for the coordinated communication, assignment and tracking of Police Department resources in response to citizen and police generated calls-for-service.

What specific types of data from CAD are used in CrimeReports.com? Calls-for-service data is utilized for CrimeReports.com, including the following data fields: entry date, entry time, event number, event location, final event type, and final event disposition.

Is there a description for the CAD data fields included in CrimeReports.com? Yes:

  • Event Number: Electronically generated by the Police Department’s CAD system, this number catalogues an event reported to the Police Department. The Event number consists of 9 characters (9 numeric). In the following example event number, 080118-1041, 08= year, 01= month, 18 = the day (18 th day), 1041= event number
  • Entry Date & Time: This is the date and time that the event was entered into the Police Department’s CAD system. In the following example, 19:34:20, the event was entered at 7:34:20 PM (note: the time is expressed in 24-hour format).
  • Event Location: This is the 100th block address and intersection information. CrimeReports.com translates address data into block level data. This means that if an incident occurs at 123 Main Street, it will show up as 100 Block Main Street in the CrimeReports.com application.  Some location fields will be populated with “address could not be mapped” if the data was not geo-processed accurately.

    The following table provides several examples to demonstrate the block translation process:
       

Final Call Disposition: The final event status is designated with one of the following final call dispositions:

Final Disposition Code

Final Disposition Status

ARR

Arrest made

AST

Assistance rendered

CAN

Cancel incident

CIT

Citation issued

CITA

Misdemeanor citation

CITM

Moving citation

CITN

Non-moving citation

CITR

Radar citation

COM

Compliance

CON

Contact made

DUP

Duplicate call

ERR

Alarm error, user

FAL

False call

FIC

Field Interview card completed

FU

Follow-up report

GOA

Gone on arrival

INF

Information only

MAL

Alarm malfunction

NCOM

Non-compliance

NFT

Alarm no fault

OAS

Outside agency assist

OTH

Other

QOA

Quiet on arrival

QOD

Quiet on departure

REF

Referred to other agency

RPT

Report taken

RRL

Reprimand and release

SUP

Supplement to a case

UNF

Unfounded

UTL

Unable to locate

VWL

Violation warning left

.

How can I use the data from CrimeReports.com in support of community safety goals? Data from CrimeReports.com can be reviewed and used to improve community safety. CrimeReports.com data is appropriate to consider and discuss as part of coordinated crime prevention initiatives. Members of the community are encouraged to continue partnering and problem-solving with the Los Altos Police while using CrimeReports.com data toward shared police-community goals.

Is every CAD event type included in CrimeReports.com? Not every CAD event type is included in CrimeReports.com. Some event types are withheld in order to protect the victim(s) involved. Such event types include, rape, sexual assault, crimes against children, juvenile related crimes, domestic violence and calls that are medical in nature.

Why was CAD chosen as the data source for CrimeReports.com? While most agencies furnish data to the public for only those select incidents in which a report was created or an arrest was made, CrimeReports.com offers a broader view of police-community contacts based on calls-for-service, including less serious quality of life call data. It is important to note that there may be multiple calls for a single incident in the CAD system (as compared to official crime statistics whereby each count represents one incident; please see crime statistics section below). Also, please keep in mind that CAD calls-for-service do not always equate to a criminal incident resulting in a report or arrest.

How often is data updated in CrimeReports.com? CrimeReports.com data is updated automatically once per day and contains the most recent thirty days of data online.

If I find an event and have additional information to provide to the police, what do I do?  Information provided within CrimeReports.com is intended for the expressed purpose of educating the public on police activity in the City of Los Altos.  Beyond that intended outcome, the Police Department is hoping to enhance our partnerships with the community and is asking the public to provide the Department with any information that would assist the Los Altos Police to resolve crimes.  Follow-up information should be directed to the Police by calling 650-947-2770. Information of an emergency nature should be passed through the Department’s 9-1-1 emergency system.

Under no circumstances should any member of the public take any action on their own behalf as it relates to the information provided on this website, other than notifying the Los Altos Police Department with information they wish to share.

Who can I contact if I have trouble using the CrimeReports.com website?  Click on the link below for assistance in utilizing CrimeReports.com:

http://www.crimereports.com/company/contact

What are the minimum Browser requirements to use CrimeReports.com?
The CrimeReports.com system takes advantage of advanced features that are only available in more recent versions of web browsers. To ensure an optimal experience while using the site, you may need to update your web browser.  All of the listed browsers can be downloaded for free:

Windows Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

  • Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
  • Mozilla 1.4 or newer
  • Internet Explorer 5.5 or newer

Macintosh Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

  • Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
  • Mozilla 1.4 or newer
  • Internet Explorer 5.5 or newer

Linux Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

  • Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
  • Mozilla 1.4 or newer

In addition, Java script and Cookies must be enabled to use the site. These features are usually enabled by default.

Does CrimeReports.com have a FAQ site?   Yes. FAQ and other related information (e.g., company, partners, legal) can be found near the bottom of the CrimeReports.com site at http://www.crimereports.com/

Does CrimeReports.com have a DISCLAIMER? Yes. Disclaimer:
The information displayed on this website is susceptible to some degree of error due to the collection, entry, and geo-processing of the data. No warranty or guarantee is made nor implied regarding the content, geographic accuracy, timeliness, completeness, sequence, or accuracy of any of the information provided herein. The reader should not rely on the data provided herein for any reason. The information is provided strictly as a courtesy to the public.