BART offers public access to station crime data

The Bay Area Rapid Transit's (BART) police department has begun sharing crime data with website CrimeMapping.com as part of a transparency initiative.

The site processes BART's crime data with an advanced mapping engine to show where crimes have occurred on the agency's system. The public can access the site for free.

The new technology is expected to increase the efficiency, accuracy and transparency of BART's crime reporting, agency officials said in a press release.

"This new effort reflects my department’s commitment to transparency and community- oriented policing," said BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas, who was hired in April. "Now anyone with an internet connection will be able to see our crime data. These incidents will be displayed in the context of the various communities served by BART."

The website also can display data in charts and graphs to illustrate crime trends.

Other San Francisco area police departments already provide crime data to CrimeMapping.com.