Crime mapping comes to Carson City

To find out what sorts of crimes are being reported in your neighborhood, you need look no further than the Internet.

Last week, the Carson City Sheriff's Office went online with crimemap

ping.com to pinpoint the calls deputies respond to daily.

The statistics go back to January and are updated as reports are generated, said Sheriff Ken Furlong.

"It extracts information straight out of our system of crimes reported," he said. "Residents and businesses can now access up-to-date crime information and use it to better protect themselves."

Furlong said his department will pay the $2,000 cost for the first year, but if the program proves successful, sponsorship will be sought.

Visitors to crimemapping.com can type in the city name, or select the Carson City Sheriff's Office from a drop-down menu, and a map will appear with icons marking the location of the following reported crimes: arson, assault, burglary, drugs, drunken or drugged driving, disturbing the peace, fraud, homicide, vehicle theft, robbery, sexual assault, theft, vandalism, vehicle burglary or weapons.

The street and block is listed. The information does not specify if an investigation is ongoing, or if an arrest was or will be made. It also does not confirm that a crime was actually committed.

People can sign up for e-mail notification with their home address and the Web site will send a message whenever a report is reported within an area between half a mile to two miles, depending on the parameters set.

In addition to mapping, a visit to ccsheriff.com provides a look at the crime trends and any changes in current crime rates compared to past years.

"We hope that people will access the information to keep people better informed," said Furlong. "It's all part of our crime prevention programs. We anticipate that there will be a large desire for it."