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Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Bethlehem's Open Data Map Fails to Include Crime

Yesterday, I told you that Robert Virgilio, who makes the famous Bethlehem Bar, would like to see a crime map for Bethlehem.  Reader John M. posted this response: 

Bernie - Bethlehem is very far along in making data open to residents and others interested in statistics about the city. If this link - https://maps-bethlehem-pa.opendata.arcgis.com/ - doesn’t work, using the search “Bethlehem pa open data” will.

"The platform is built on the near-universal standard ArcGIS product. It’s the same product driving our two counties’ parcel databases, PennDOT mapping, etc. As of today we can see leaf collection, snow removal, historic districts and structures, and more. Nothing except an instruction from city management is preventing the publication of this dataset in a format anybody can access."

It is missing crime data.

"Indeed, that’s my point. They could and I don’t know why they don’t. The data exists - that first link from the state? Ucr.pa.gov is what the base URL is; the pasted link from the original poster was goofy. It worked for me once I played with it a little.

"As to what I found for the Bethlehem city jurisdiction - it presents current year versus prior year. You can adjust a lot of settings to do types of crimes and a lot of year ranges. WHAT IT DID NOT DO IS MAP CRIME TO LOCATION. I’m certain the BPD has geolocation data associated with each arrest and indictment as well as the date they report to the state.

"Crimemapping.com could do that. From their website:

'If you do not see your local agency on CrimeMapping.com then they do not yet subscribe to our services. We would love to serve your community and would urge you to contact the public information officer at your local law enforcement agency to let them know about CrimeMapping.com.'

"Why don’t they?

"You have a bully pulpit, Bernie. I’m a resident with no real ear on council."

I might have a bully pulpit, but it is readers like John M who have the brains and provide thoughtful commentary. 

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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 26, 2023 at 6:36 AM

    Bethlehem has been hiding crime for years, decades. This is no big secret.

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