In an effort to bolster transparency, the Lewisville Police Department has recently unveiled a new "Calls for Service" public dashboard, as per their continued endeavor to openly share information with the community.
The Lewisville PD explained that calls for service can originate from 911 requests or be initiated by police officers proactively responding to events. It is crucial to recognize that these calls do not always correspond to confirmed criminal activities. The information is tentatively classified by dispatchers as incidents are reported, which could later change. In an attempt to balance openness with privacy, the exact locations of calls are intentionally approximated on the dashboard to prevent the identification of specific addresses, as per the City of Lewisville.
There is an inherent delay of about six hours before calls are updated on the dashboard, attributed to privacy and operational considerations that might necessitate withholding certain data. Further investigations about these calls might reclassify the incident or, in some cases, determine that no additional report will be filed if no crime is confirmed.
The newly implemented dashboard is a reflection of the department's dedication to clear community engagement, which they believe will strengthen relationships with residents by offering an accessible glimpse into daily police work. However, these reports are not a replacement for official crime statistics, which are filtered through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and the results are later summarized in the monthly Uniform Crime Report (UCR) published on the "LPD Transparency" page. The dashboard is not intended to perfectly align with these reports due to procedural differences in data handling.
The initiative is a part of the broader vision for the city, dubbed the "Lewisville 2025" plan, specifically aligning with their strategic focus on becoming a "Data-Driven Organization" and fostering "Diverse and Thriving Neighborhoods." The entire vision plan can also be accessed online, giving interested individuals a comprehensive look at what the future holds for Lewisville. For a deeper dive into the data, community members can still utilize the standard Public Information Request process to obtain detailed records.
