CrimeStream lets users see real-time data showing Tulsa emergency calls projected over maps. It's the brainchild of developer Willem Ellis who came up with the idea after hearing gunshots while walking his dog.
Since the website went live for the public last month, it's continued to grow. Ellis said he now gets dozens of visitors each day. He said some users have contacted him grateful for the resource.
"They said this is a nice way where they can keep an eye on what's happening around their dad without pestering him."
CrimeStream takes data from the city's webpage that tracks recent emergency calls requiring police, firefighters or medics and overlays them onto an easy to read map of Tulsa.
Ellis said he's found some interesting trends with new heat-mapping features on his website.
"People give north Tulsa kind of a bad rap, but when you look at the incidents and stuff there are way more incidents south of Archer," he said.
He also stores the information in a database that could help track trends long term. He also hopes to add features including email alerts that allow users to sign up to be notified when significant activities are reported in their areas.
The site only lists 911 calls that the police department makes publicly available. The TPD site indicates it omits reports that create privacy concerns or may put officers at risk.
Take a look at CrimeStream in action.
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