York Regional Police becomes more 'transparent' with residents following launch of new Safety Data Portal

The innovative tool will allow residents to have online access to crime information and more

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 25, 2021
Aileen Zangouei

York Regional Police aims to be more transparent with residents than ever before.

That's why they've launched their new Safety Data Portal which helps residents have access to crime information, statistics, trends and more with the click of a button.

According to Paulo Da Silva, Deputy Chief of Administration with the York Regional Police, this tool will "improve our engagement with you, our community and improve overall community safety."

The portal, which was made in-house by its Business Intelligence and Data Analytics Unit, includes a new intuitive 'Crime Map' that can be found on the YRP's website, and allows for members of the community to access a "wealth" of crime information, including any potential safety concerns.

It features simple dashboards that indicate where and when crime has taken place in any area across York Region. Searches can be tailored to specific crimes such as break and enter, attempted murder and drug violations in specific neighbourhoods.

The Community Safety Data portal also provides a 'Road Safety Map' which pinpoints roads and intersections with high collision rates and other important road safety issues.

"The portal allows us to share crime information from across the region, including incidents and trends that don't always warrant a media release or general community alert," Da Silva said.

Links to crime prevention tips -- like fraud prevention -- community safety alerts, security camera registry and the opportunities to submit evidence are also provided within the new portal.

"Community safety is our top priority. This innovative, progressive tool will empower our citizens, helping us keep all our communities safe,” said Da Silva.

"It means we can be more transparent with our residents than ever before and we are confident that if members of our community are better informed about police-related incidents happening in their neighbourhoods, they will be better able to help our officers solve and prevent crime."