OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — The Olive Branch Police Department launched a new crime-fighting tool for it’s citizens.
It is called SpotCrime, and the department said they hope the new technology will help put a stop to crime and help citizens know what’s going on in their neighborhoods.
Vandalisms, thefts, and assaults are just some of the crimes in Olive Branch pinpointed on a map.
The mapping system is the new way the police department is alerting the city about crime.
“If you’re living in a particular area, you absolutely want to know what’s going on around you,” Donna Todd-Watkins said.
According to police, the SpotCrime website is easy to use.
Just type in your email and address while leaving the rest to the website.
It will send users alerts everyday about crimes reported within five miles of the given address.
“It kind of maps everything out,” Captain Jeff Abbott, with OBPD, said. “It gives citizens a little bit more of a real time, more instantaneous view of what’s the crime that’s going on in their neighborhood and the city.”
Captain Abbott told WREG the new map shows crime trends near where people may work or live.
“If there is obviously a bunch of auto burglaries in the area, they’ll take extra precautions to lock their cars or do whatever that lessens the crime of opportunity,” Captain Abbott said.
The department is preparing officers for a possible spike in crime as more people move to Desoto County.
Neighbors hope SpotCrime not only keeps them alerted, but puts the bad guys on notice.
“I hope that the people who are committing these crimes will realize that the citizens are more alert and we’re not going to lay down and let this happen to us,” Todd Watkins explained.
