Costa Mesa posts online crime map

The Costa Mesa Police Department is now listing crimes and calls for service online.

The listings, which go back a week, are taken from the police Telecommunications Center and updated every four minutes.

Visitors to the police website can read a blotter that lists police calls or click on an interactive map for a citywide view. Tuesday’s report included calls for theft, vandalism, child neglect and other crimes.

“Our goal is to reduce crime and quality of life issues negatively impacting our community through a better-informed citizenry,” according to a Police Department press release. “The crime mapping program is designed to keep residents continually informed about crimes, arrests and other police-related activities occurring in Costa Mesa.”

The blotter is not necessarily an indication that a crime took place, merely that a crime was reported. The Calls for Service link on the site shows that police were dispatched — not whether a crime report was taken. The Crime Map indicates that a call for service resulted in a crime report.

To see the map, go to https://www.costamesaca.gov and click on the Police tab and then click on Crime Info and then Crime Map.

— Staff reports

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