Statistics & Maps

Crime Mapping and Statistics
The map and statistics provided by this Web site are based on data generated by the police department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) and Records Management (RMS) systems. The CAD system tracks information when a call/request for service is made to the police department. Information such as the location of the incident, date and time of the incident, type of incident, and reporting party is entered by a dispatcher into the CAD system. If an officer responds to an incident, the officer may write a police report or citation about the incident if needed. Detailed information from the police report or citation is entered into the Records Management (RMS) system.

The map provides a general overview of selected crime and quality of life issues occurring in the city during the previous month. Information is updated on a monthly basis. Not all incidents or crime types are included in the map. The calls for service data are obtained from the Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD); the crime data are obtained from the Records Management system (RMS).

When reviewing the information, please keep the following in mind:

• St. Louis Park continues to be a safe, secure community with relatively low crime rates. The city promotes the philosophy of proactive, community-oriented policing and partnership building with the community to help identify and solve problems before they become more serious crimes.
• Only reported incidents are represented. Not all crime and other incidents are reported to police.
• Not all incidents are crimes and many incidents do not generate a police report. Quality of life issues such as noise, animal complaints and parking/driving complaints are not typically criminal in nature and may not generate a police report.
• An incident type entered in CAD at the time the call is received may differ from the information entered into RMS for the same incident if an officer determines that the incident type is not what was initially reported.
• Statistics can be misleading. Comparing data in different areas to decide which area is safer is difficult. Some areas contain higher density housing and/or commercial properties that may generate higher volumes of incidents/crimes than lower density housing with little or no commercial properties.
• No one can predict solely on the basis of past data exactly where crime will occur in the future.
• Although people tend to be most fearful of crimes committed by strangers, many reported crimes are committed by friends, acquaintances and family members.
• What feels safe is different for everyone. Do not rely on statistics alone when selecting a new place to live. Visit the area at different times of the day to see what it’s like; talk to neighbors and businesses in the area; find out if there is an active neighborhood association and contact the neighborhood leader. Neighborhood Comparisons

Click Here for the Interactive Police Map

Related Information
Additional information is available by clicking on the links listed below:

• Police Department Annual Report - 2008
• Police Department Annual Report - 2007
• Police Department Annual Report – 2006
• Police Department Annual Report – 2005
• Neighborhood Comparisons 

Information & Map
The Police Department divides St. Louis Park into four patrol districts. Normally, one patrol officer covers each of the four patrol districts. These districts are further divided into 35 neighborhoods (For maps, click on neighborhoods).