Arlington P.D. allows citizens to see what calls their P.D. are on

**Terminator** · 01-24-06, 07:39 AM

Jan. 20--ARLINGTON -- If you've ever heard the wails of multiple sirens and wondered where police were headed, look no farther than your computer.
On the Arlington Police Department's Web site, you can click on the "Active Calls" link to learn about calls to 911 dispatchers. The link shows what kinds of calls -- most are about crimes -- police are handling and their general locations.
A "Traffic Calls" link shows what accidents police are working.
"This is another way that we are communicating with the public," said Lt. Blake Miller, a police spokesman. "It's another tool that allows citizens of Arlington to see what their Police Department is doing."
The link is a work in progress, he said. It debuted in November, but decisions are still being made about what kinds of information will be posted. Currently, call locations are limited to block numbers, and calls such as hostage situations or sexual assaults are not posted to protect victims' identities, Miller said.
Officers have voiced concerns about criminals tracking police activity or crowd-control issues developing during a major call. But no problems have arisen so far, Miller said.
"We've had nothing to indicate anyone has used this for anything other than to keep up with their community," he said.
In North Texas, Dallas Fire and Rescue is the only other major department with call-tracking on its Web site. Nationally, the California Highway Patrol and the Tampa Police Department offer the online service.
The information on the Arlington police Web site comes in raw from people contacting dispatchers, before officers are on the scene. Often, police reach different conclusions about incidents than callers do, Miller said.
"These calls are taken from the calls made to the 911 operator," he said. "When the officer gets out there, they may say the situation is something totally different."
Miller said that he has received more than 100 e-mails about the active calls list and that the overwhelming majority have been positive.

WHAT A STUPID IDEA!!!!!

**jmur5074** · 01-24-06, 10:57 AM

I don't think I'd like the cop killers, thieves, robbers, and burglars to know where I'm at, and what I'm doing......

I dunno, that's just me.

But I'm sure you'll all agree......

Indy · 01-24-06, 10:59 AM

I'm with jmur...seems dangerous to me and is just asking for spectators. General location or not, if they give - say, an intersection, all the citizens would have to do is look for the cruisers in that area.

**PACMAN** · 01-24-06, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by jmur5074

I don't think I'd like the cop killers, thieves, robbers, and burglars to know where I'm at, and what I'm doing......

I dunno, that's just me.

But I'm sure you'll all agree......

agree

Cheech · 01-24-06, 03:09 PM

LVMPD use to have their scanner online, almost the same thing, you can tell where the officers are at. Personally I think its not in the publics interest to know 100% of whats going on

**kdm0409** · 01-24-06, 03:17 PM

I really think this is asking for bad news....I totally disagree with letting the public view the calls the officers are on!!!

**StanSwitek** · 01-24-06, 04:13 PM

Do a google search using scanner... The genie is out of the bottle.

MountainCop · 01-24-06, 06:04 PM

We used to have that in Douglas County, Colorado - and it was taken off line for officer safety reasons. I agree.

Then again, I have a Uniden BC246T <hee hee!!>

**Iron Man** · 01-24-06, 06:18 PM

How is that different then a scanner? It does not bother me at all. If someone really wants to kill me they will do it anyway with or without it.

It does not bother me.

Just my .02

**Iron Man** · 01-24-06, 06:25 PM

Here is a link http://www.arlingtonpd.org/CAD.asp

**Vendetta** · 01-24-06, 08:27 PM

hell thats better than our dispatch console

**seltzer** · 01-24-06, 10:51 PM

They even give a map for Christ's sake. Now what good could possibly come from this????

I'll bet next it will tell where undercover buy/busts are going down...you know, to give the perps the edge.

What a damn shame!

**Iron Man** · 01-24-06, 10:56 PM

I don't think any *good* can come of it. But I doubt anything bad will come from it either. People can just use a scanner anyway...

**seltzer** · 01-24-06, 10:59 PM

True, but I see it as a total waste of monetary funds the PD could be using for gear, training, etc.... rather than tell the public exactly what they are doing and how. From a PR perspective, it is great; from a realistic standpoint, completely useless.

**Iron Man** · 01-24-06, 11:06 PM

That it is. I'm not for it. Because it will in no way help the department. I'm not sure how much it costs though.

Another pointless program.

**pmfc** · 01-25-06, 05:44 AM

Originally Posted by MountainCop

Then again, I have a Uniden BC246T <hee hee!!>

I've got 3 of those things! Of course my city is about to go digital and I really don't give a shit because I don't listen that much anymore. I get tired of hearing depressing things like murders and fatal accidents.