SPRINGFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT - CRIME MAPS DISCLAIMER

The Springfield Police Department does not guarantee the accuracy of the information displayed on its crime maps. All attempts are made to ensure initial police reports contain complete and accurate information; however initial reports are subject to change and/or are reclassified as more facts are gathered and cases are investigated. The majority of our crime maps do not reflect the official crime index totals as reported to the Oregon State Police for Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS) or that of the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR). One exception is the Annual Report maps which are based on these totals. Please see our Annual Report in its entirety located on the crime statistics page of the Springfield Police Website to view these statistics.

Viewing and Interpreting Crime Maps

The crime maps on our site depict a fairly accurate snapshot of incident locations and reported crime however there are limitations and shortcomings that the user should be aware of when viewing and interpreting these maps.

Crime map data is generated from two different databases, depending upon what is being mapped. The property crime maps and Annual Report maps are generated from our crime reporting database which must adhere to both LEDS and UCR standards. The computer-assisted dispatch (CAD) database holds all calls for service. Traffic accident maps are generated from our CAD database.

Points that appear on maps generated from our crime reporting database depend on two criteria. First, the point indicates the location of the crime and second, according to UCR reporting standards of the database, the most serious offense is mapped. For example, if a burglary and a theft from a vehicle occur at the same place and time, the burglary will be extracted from the database and mapped because it is the most serious offense.

Points that appear on maps generated from our computer-assisted dispatch database (CAD) are not an accurate source for reported crime because the title of the initial call for service is often later categorized differently, or if a warrant arrest occurs at the location the call title may be updated to reflect this. This database is an excellent source for generating locations of specific calls for service, for example traffic accidents.

Stacking

Crime mapping depends on a computer process known as geocoding which converts XY coordinates into a point on a map. If multiple incidents occur at a location the points will “stack” and all incidents will appear as a single point. For example, an apartment complex where only one XY coordinate has been assigned for the entire complex or an address where more than one crime has been reported within the time frame of the map.

Missing Points

There may be instances when a crime occurs at a location that has neither an XY coordinate nor a valid address in the geocoding system, in which case the incident will not show up on the crime map. An example of this is a house under construction in a new housing development.

Timeliness

Crime maps based on the crime reporting database will always be created and posted to the site after the LEDS and UCR data entry deadline. For example, crimes reported in May must be entered into the system by the third week of June – only when this entry is complete can a crime map be generated. Maps based on our CAD database can be generated immediately.  Property crime maps are based on our crime reporting database and traffic accident maps are based on our CAD database.

Types of Crime Maps

Several different types of crime maps (listed below) have been utilized to show crime data, chosen for their ability to portray the data most clearly and effectively. As such, each map presents unique interpretation challenges.

• Pin maps as useful when working with small amounts of data and the goal is to show incident locations. However multiple incidents at the same location will appear as a single point on the map and as such, pin maps do not provide a realistic representation of the total count or density of crimes within a specific area. Maps shown in pin format are property crime and traffic accidents by month.  

• Graduated symbol maps are useful in that they show individual incident locations as well as an actual count per location. Maps shown in graduated symbol format are traffic accidents by quarter and graffiti.

• Area density maps are area shading maps created by counting reported crime totals in an area, in this case census tracts. This type of map is useful when working with large amounts of data and the goal is to provide a total count per area, an indication of the density of crimes in a specific area, and/or a comparison of crime by area. However map shading can suggest that the entire area has experienced crime when in fact all reported crimes may have occurred within a one or two block area. Area density maps shown are those created for our Annual Report.

Privacy

Please note that our crime maps do not show the exact address of a reported crime. This exclusion is intentional to protect the privacy and confidentiality of Springfield citizens.  

Contact Information

Please contact the page author with any comments, questions and feedback. mhildebrand@ci.springfield.or.us