COUNCIL BLUFFS — Area residents curious about the type, volume, date and location of crimes have a new source for information.
The Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office is the second law enforcement agency in Iowa, along with the West Des Moines Police Department, to be part of a national crime-mapping website. With the click of a mouse, users can find the location of a crime, the type of crime, when it occurred, the case number and more.
In Nebraska, the Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island Police Departments and the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office are on the website.
"When I run into people they'll ask, 'What's going on? Have there been any burglaries in my area?'" Sheriff Jeff Danker said. "People are curious where the offenses occur and what they are. With this, they can pull it up and see. I think it's a real plus for the citizens of the county."
The crime map is accessible via the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office's new website, which officials launched in November. Or click here for the national crime-mapping website.
The old site, part of the general Pottawattamie County website, "was pretty vague, with limited information," said Jason LeMaster, an investigator with the Criminal Investigations Division.
There was information on foreclosures and other civil processes, but not much more. LeMaster spearheaded the new website effort.
"We want to make sure the public has information they need," he said. "Provide easier access, easier use. We're an open book. If anybody needs to know anything, it's right there."
Information on weapons permits and the sex offender registry are available on the site, along with material on unsolved cases.
"They're old, but you never know, people could see them, get to thinking, talking ." Danker said. "You never know when you might get information on some of these cases."
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