Pasco Sheriff's Website Lets You Map West Pasco Crime

There’s a new way to check on whether your neighbor was assaulted without leaving your own home.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has redesigned its website, and it now features a link to a digital map (https://www.crimereports.com/)that displays crimes in neighborhoods in its jurisdiction.  

“It's a real picture of what is happening,” Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said.

The map, the link to which is at the top of the Sheriff’s Office homepage, is maintained and updated through a $2,388 annual contract with CrimeReports, the largest public crime-mapping and citizen tip network in North America, according to a press release.  

Updated nightly, the map plots out a variety of incidents, including thefts, traffic violations, assault, robberies, break-ins, arson, family offenses, weapons offenses, property crimes, vehicle theft, deaths, burglaries from vehicles and quality of life crimes. It shows incidents that happened in the last 90 days.

What isn’t included? Some crimes not tracked are sex offenses, although registered sex offenders are identified, and child abuse and neglect incidents. The map also only tracks Sheriff’s Office data and not information from any of the county’s other policing agencies.

Users can sign up for email alerts so they can get updates quickly.

The map is touted as part of Sheriff’s plan to move the agency toward .

ILP uses information gathering and analysis to attempt to prevent crime. It focuses on the belief that 6 percent of a population commits 60 percent of the crime

The technique is a key component of Nocco’s $83.3-million . It involves networking with other police agencies and getting community members, nonprofits, businesses and others involved.

Another big part o the site overhaul is an anonymous tip button at the top of the home screen. It allows users to email tips to the sheriff’s office, and the tips will also be deposited into the agency's planned clearinghouse of information to be used for ILP. There’s a box for them to include their name, but the tips will be unanimous. Other icons on top of the homescreen link to the Sheriff’s Office’s YouTube account, Twitter account and Facebook fan page. Links to who's in custody, active calls and a sex offender alert system have been added on the side of the page along with others.

The goal of redesigning the website was to get visitors the information needed in two clicks, Nocco said. Nocco said his agency wants to be able to send information quickly to people's smart phones and computers.

"The biggest thing for us is simplicity," Nocco said.

The Sheriff’s Office does not have an app, but CrimeReports does.

CrimeReports Map Legend

• B=Breaking and Entering
• H=Homicide
• R=Robbery
• T=Theft
• V=Theft of vehicle
• TV= Theft from vehicle
• VR=Vehicle Recovery
• A=Assault
• P=Property Crime
• O=Other
• Q=Quality of Life
• Upside Down triangle= Registered Sex Offender