"Community-oriented policing is based on establishing a partnership between police officers and citizens, in order to proactively reduce crime instead of reacting to crime after it occurs. The key to crime prevention is our strength together," said Pontiac Chief of Police Rollie Gackstetter.
The new Pontiac Police Web site provides maps with pinpoints detailing recent crime activities, updated weekly. These local crime statistics are being made available online to residents for the first time.
The primary goals of the site are to empower citizens with information and to improve communication between local neighborhood watch groups and the Pontiac Police Department. By providing information online via their Web site, the Pontiac Police Department also hopes to reduce the number of officers assigned to answer routine telephone inquiries, putting more officers back onto street patrols.
"Here in Pontiac, there is a renewed focus on strategies that help prevent crime, reduce the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods," said Chief Gackstetter. "This new Web site will help us broaden the involvement of residents in community policing, and will further allow the Pontiac Police to deliver services the citizens want."
This is a pilot project for Oakland County and CLEMIS, which will subsequently roll-out the Web program to potentially all CLEMIS-member police departments.
Citizens can use the new Web site to access statistics on reported crimes, organized by city council district. The site also includes answers to commonly asked questions on topics such as abandoned or impounded vehicles, police reports, and community services offered by the Pontiac Police Department.
