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Sheriff's Office - Crime Reports

Show All Answers

1. What is CrimeReports.com?

CrimeReports.com is an online mapping and analysis service provided by Public Engines Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. CrimeReports.com combines the value of law enforcement data with the ease of use of Google-based mapping and an analytics module so that members of the public can view police data in a high-impact map or summary descriptive format. Members of the public may also sign up to receive free email alerts based on user-defined parameters (e.g., geography, crime types, frequency, etc.).

2. What type of Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) data is used in CrimeReports.com?

The CrimeReports.com service utilizes calls-for-service (CFS) data from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office CAD system. CAD stands for Computer Aided Dispatch. CAD is a highly specialized application that allows for the coordinated communication, assignment and tracking of Law Enforcement resources in response to citizen and Sheriff’s Office generated calls-for-service.

3. What specific types of data from CAD are used in CrimeReports.com?

Calls-for-service data is utilized for CrimeReports.com, including the following data fields: entry date, event number, event location, and final event type.

4. Is there a description for the CAD data fields included in CrimeReports.com?

Yes. They are:

• Identifier Number: Electronically generated by the Sheriff’s Office CAD system, this number catalogues an event reported to the Loudoun Sheriff’s Office.
• Entry Date: This is the date the event was entered into the Sheriff’s Office CAD system.
• Event Location: This is the 100th block address and intersection information. CrimeReports.com translates address data into block level data. This means that if an incident occurs at 123 Main Street, it will show up as 100 Block Main Street in the CrimeReports.com application. Some location fields will be populated with “address could not be mapped” if the data was not geo-processed accurately.

5. There were deputies in my neighborhood last night and there is nothing listed on the website. Why is that?

Crimes are published on the site around 1:00 o'clock every morning. Cases not cleared prior to this time will not be displayed on the site until the following update. Only "Part 1 Crimes" (Homicide, Robbery, Theft, etc.) are displayed as a default. To see other crimes, such as property crimes (destruction of property, vandalism); click on "Crime Types" on the main page and select "Show All." Some event types are withheld in order to protect the victim(s) involved. Such event types include, rape, sexual assault, crimes against children, juvenile related crimes, domestic violence and calls that are medical in nature.

6. How can I find out more about the incidents listed on the site?

The website is seen as one tool in informing members of the community regarding crime in their neighborhood. Residents are encouraged to continue to follow local media reports and attend community meetings. The agency also encourages residents to sign up and receive Loudoun Sheriff’s Office alerts from the Alert Loudoun system. Some of the crimes listed on the site will be included in the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Daily Crime Reports.

7. How can I use the data from CrimeReports.com in support of community safety goals?

Data from CrimeReports.com can be reviewed and used to improve community safety. CrimeReports.com data is appropriate to consider and discuss as part of coordinated crime prevention initiatives. Members of the community are encouraged to continue partnering and problem-solving with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office while using CrimeReports.com data toward shared police-community goals.

8. Is every CAD event type included in CrimeReports.com?

Not every CAD event type is included in CrimeReports.com. Some event types are withheld in order to protect the victim(s) involved. Such event types include, rape, sexual assault, crimes against children, juvenile related crimes, domestic violence and calls that are medical in nature.

9. Why was CAD chosen as the data source for CrimeReports.com?

While most agencies furnish data to the public for only those select incidents in which a report was created or an arrest was made, CrimeReports.com offers a broader view of police-community contacts based on calls-for-service, including less serious quality of life call data. It is important to note that there may be multiple calls for a single incident in the CAD system (as compared to official crime statistics whereby each count represents one incident; please see crime statistics section below). Also, please keep in mind that CAD calls-for-service do not always equate to a criminal incident resulting in a report or arrest.

10. How often is data updated in CrimeReports.com?

CrimeReports.com data is updated automatically once per day and contains the most recent 30 days of data online.

11. If I find an event and have additional information to provide to the police, what do I do?

Information provided within CrimeReports.com is intended for the expressed purpose of educating the public on law enforcement activity under the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction. Beyond that intended outcome, the Sheriff's Office is hoping to enhance our partnerships with the community and is asking the public to provide the Department with any information that would assist the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office to resolve crimes.

If you have information regarding a case you can call the agencies 24-hour non-emergency number at 703-777-1021. Follow-up information of an emergency nature should be passed through the agencies 9-1-1 emergency system.

Under no circumstances should any member of the public take any action on their own behalf as it relates to the information provided on this website, other than notifying the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office with information they wish to share.

12. Whom can I contact if I have trouble using the CrimeReports.com website?

For assistance in utilizing CrimeReports.com, contact a CrimeReport representative.

13. What are the minimum Browser requirements to use CrimeReports.com?

The CrimeReports.com system takes advantage of advanced features that are only available in more recent versions of web browsers. To ensure an optimal experience while using the site, you may need to update your web browser. All of the listed browsers can be downloaded for free.

Windows Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

• Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
• Mozilla 1.4 or newer
• Internet Explorer 5.5 or newer

Macintosh Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

• Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
• Mozilla 1.4 or newer
• Internet Explorer 5.5 or newer

Linux Users
The CrimeReports.com system supports the following web browsers:

• Firefox 0.9 or newer (Firefox is recommended for best performance)
• Mozilla 1.4 or newer

In addition, Java script and Cookies must be enabled to use the site. These features are usually enabled by default.

14. Does CrimeReports.com have a FAQ site?

Yes. FAQ and other related information (e.g., company, partners, legal) can be found near the bottom of the CrimeReports.com site.

15. Does CrimeReports.com have a disclaimer?

Yes. The disclaimer reads as follows:

"The information displayed on this website is susceptible to some degree of error due to the collection, entry, and geo-processing of the data. No warranty or guarantee is made nor implied regarding the content, geographic accuracy, timeliness, completeness, sequence, or accuracy of any of the information provided herein. The reader should not rely on the data provided herein for any reason. The information is provided strictly as a courtesy to the public."