This article from the Quarterly Bulletin of Applied Geography for the Study of Crime and Public Safety examines how police can improve their responses to citizens' questions about community safety.
In response to citizens' questions regarding community safety and the extent of crime in their neighborhoods, police departments have begun putting police crime data on their Web sites. This article examines how police departments can improve their efforts to provide information to citizens' inquiries about crime. The author notes the importance and benefits of adopting a community oriented policing approach to making crime data accessible to the public. The benefits include better relations with residents and community organizations, which lead in turn to constructive conversations between the police and citizens about developing appropriate solutions to improving public safety. The article examines community-friendly Web sites used by police departments in San Francisco, Beaverton, OR, and Washington, DC. 2 figures