SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Identification has rolled out a new interactive dashboard aimed to give the public a way to view and sort crime data.
For years, Utah DPS has released crime data after it was reported from agencies and compiled into a document. Now, users will have access to statistical information specific to the jurisdiction of any law enforcement agency that reports crime stats to the state.
“I think it’s a great opportunity as a public citizen here in Utah to see what's happening in my community, in my county, and even overall in the state,” said Mandy Biesinger, a field services supervisor with the DPS BCI. “It takes the crime data that is happening in those local jurisdictions and allows us to put it out there to be transparent with the public to allow them to see the crime.”
According to the DPS, data on domestic violence, hate crimes, and law enforcement officers killed or assaulted will also be available. Data for most categories will be available on a rolling 5-year schedule.
“We are constantly looking for ways to be more transparent,” said DPS Commissioner Jess Anderson. “Transparency builds trust. This type of easy access to nearly real-time data will help anyone to better understand crime trends in their communities.”
Click here to view the dashboard.
