MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Police Department is now using an online crime mapping application to let people know about what crimes are occurring in the city.

The MLPD recently began using crimereports.com, which gives users the ability to pull up a map of Moses Lake and view where crimes occur. MLPD Capt. Dave Sands said the department’s focus is crimes and incidents that can “most directly impact through reporting and awareness.”

“These incidents are thefts, vandalism and quality of life issues such as drugs and public intoxication. Other incidents, such as assaults or domestic violence issues, tend to be more random and generally do not impact neighborhoods in the same way as property crimes,” Sands explained. “Also, as Moses Lake police officers respond to between 17,000 and 18,000 calls for services each year, we feel focusing on these incidents will make the map easier to navigate.”

On the map users will see either an icon that depicts the type of incident or a number, which indicates several incidents in a given area. Clicking on the icon gives the user general call information, including the block number, street, type of incident, general time and case number. The program updates the map early each morning and users can search for incidents on specific dates.

“From the home screen people can also register security cameras. This will create a list that officers can view when a crime has occurred to determine if there are cameras in the area that may have captured the incident,” Sands stated.

There is a function that allows users to submit a tip, but Sands said the MLPD is not currently using the function. Users can create an alert to be notified when an incident occurs in a specific area. To view the map visit https://www.crimereports.com/agency/MosesLakeWa.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.