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Ogden • Curious what time of day you're more likely to fall victim to a particular crime in Ogden? Wondering why there was a cop car at your neighbor's house or if your home is in a high-crime area?
Residents here can learn all that, and help police solve crimes in real time, thanks to a piece of software police recently put at the website raidsonline.com."The goal is to take the Neighborhood Watch concept and pretty much put it on steroids," said John Harvey, Ogden's deputy director of support services.
The site not only informs residents what's happening in their neighborhood, but it also allows people to submit anonymous tips about particular crimes.
Harvey said police work is often a paradigm. Officers sometimes don't like to release information, but, at the same time, tips from the public or alert residents often provide critical information to crack cases.
"This one helps the citizens join in the fray and be our eyes and ears, but doesn't cost us anything," Harvey said of raidsonline.
Ogden police will be posting crime information in real time on the website. Every hour, the map will update with the offenses worked by officers that day.
Harvey also oversees Ogden's real crime center. The center, which uses computers, surveillance cameras and database programs to provide crime analysis and support for officers in the field about 20 hours a day — has recently updated several of its programs to make it more effective.
And recently, nearly 500 people whose pet licenses expired received calls reminding them to take care of it. At 2 cents a call, Harvey said, the push netted nearly $1,500 in licensing fees from residents who had simply forgotten their animal licenses had expired.
West Jordan and West Valley City already use the program. Harvey said within the next few weeks, the Weber County Sheriff's Office will be putting its live crime data on the website and other Weber County police departments are poised to follow suit.
West Valley City police, also recently announced they were using raidsonline. They found it gives the community the "ability to see what's going on in their neighborhoods," said police Sgt. Jason Hauer.
Hauer said recently some residents near 4000 W. 4400 South called following a shooting looking for information about crime in their neighborhood and were able to use the site to obtain that information.
Also the site is being used by some unlikely folks — people considering moving.
"We have had people considering moving into certain areas call us for statistical information for the areas they're considering moving into and have been able to use the raidsonline site," he said.
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