The Delta Police Department has a new online crime mapping tool allowing Deltans to keep up to date about crime in their neighbourhoods.
The interactive map, which is updated every 24 hours in the early morning, replaces the general static map that was only updated weekly. The new system, which went live last week, is part of the DPD’s ongoing efforts to help keep Delta residents informed and engaged in crime prevention.
“Tools such as our online crime mapping tool are part of the fundamentals of community policing,” said Chief Constable Neil Dubord. “The new mapping systems allows for greater transparency of the Delta Police Department, gives citizens and our community partners greater accessibility and knowledge about activities in their city and enhances the capabilities of our intelligence-led policing model by providing real time, actionable information.”
Based on data generated using calls for service collected through the department’s records management system, the program uses a Google- based map along with anonymized descriptive summaries to let users know what property crime activities have occurred in their neighbourhoods. The system was uploaded with one month of back data and will eventually store six months of data for comparison.
Unlike with the old map, users can zoom in on a specific area, select a date range, or search for a specific type of occurrence. They can then click on the pins on the map and get information such as the date and time the incident happened, the hundred block of the incident, the police file number, and the specific type of incident it was. 
Not all crime types are currently displayed on the map or included in the associated reports because of privacy concerns for victims and their families. Crime types included are arsons, all types of break and enters (business, residence, motor vehicle etc.), mischief to property, robbery, shots fired, thefts of bicycles, thefts of all types of vehicles, and thefts from all types of vehicles.
The DPD’s crime mapping system can be found at deltapolice.ca/crime-map.