City-Wide Crime Stats Available at City's Website
There is a resource available that will give a detailed description of crime across Topeka.
At the city’s website within the Police Department’s page there is the following link that can identify crimes around a particular address. Just click on the following link to go directly to the site:
http://communitycrimemap.com/?agency=topeka%2cks
1. Once the site pops up, in the upper left corner enter an address, city, state, zip per the prompts (if you don't know the exact address, enter one that's close by).
2. Once the crime map pops up, click on the icons to find out crime address, crime type, etc.
3. After clicking on an icon and finding out details, click on the small black "x" in the top right of the icon box to close the icon box.
You can look at crime data based on the following criteria:
· Date Range
· Event (the type of crime)
· Offenders
· Analytic Layers
· Agency Layers (which includes NIAs and NAs)
The site also provides access to crime data for any city in the nation.
At the city’s website within the Police Department’s page there is the following link that can identify crimes around a particular address. Just click on the following link to go directly to the site:
http://communitycrimemap.com/?agency=topeka%2cks
1. Once the site pops up, in the upper left corner enter an address, city, state, zip per the prompts (if you don't know the exact address, enter one that's close by).
2. Once the crime map pops up, click on the icons to find out crime address, crime type, etc.
3. After clicking on an icon and finding out details, click on the small black "x" in the top right of the icon box to close the icon box.
You can look at crime data based on the following criteria:
· Date Range
· Event (the type of crime)
· Offenders
· Analytic Layers
· Agency Layers (which includes NIAs and NAs)
The site also provides access to crime data for any city in the nation.
New Shawnee County Sheriff's Office Phone Number
According to Shawnee County Deputy Shayna Anderson, effective immediately the non-emergency contact phone number for the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is 785-251-2200, thereby finishing the transition from the old number with the “368” prefix.
However, the new prefix does not affect 911. Anyone experiencing an emergency is encouraged to call 911.
However, the new prefix does not affect 911. Anyone experiencing an emergency is encouraged to call 911.
Changes Made to Topeka Police Department's Community Policing Program
TPD Ofc. Matthew Wilson spoke at the Tennessee Town NIA meeting on January 13, 2020. He said these community meetings will replace community police officers attending regular NIA and NA meetings and will work a lot like the various city council district crime summits that have been conducted in prior years.
The new effort is called the Community Outreach Bureau and will be headed by TPD Major Darin Scott. Wilson said what community policing has been to neighborhoods (a liaison between the neighborhoods and the TPD) won't change, just the way those services are delivered will change. Wilson said the TPD believes that the new format will lead to better communications between the community and the TPD.
Wilson said there will be an East and a West unit. He said there are currently 4 community police officers for the entire city until June, 2 for the East Unit and 2 for the West Unit. Wilson said the hope is eventually to have 8 officers. He said his primary territory will be downtown and NOTO (each unit's officers should be revealed at the 4 community meetings). Wilson said there will be 3 issues the TPD will identify for each zone:
* Crime prevention
* Gun violence
* Q&A
Wilson said recruitment challenges, not funding shortfalls, have left the TPD about 40 officers short of what its person-power numbers used to be. He said that is what has led to the creation of this new approach featuring 4 zones (which, according to the information posted above, appear to be North, Central, East and West) and quarterly meetings.
As an example of recruitment challenges, Wilson said that recently 15 recruits had been identified, but those numbers were essentially cancelled out by about 15 retirements. He said in an effort to recruit more people that recruitment standards had been lowered (i.e. the amount of time required to expire between drug charges and being a recruit has been reduced from 3 years to 1 year). Wilson said there are fewer people now who want to be police officers than before.
Wilson said each NIA and NA will still have access to their crime stats. They now will be distributed at the quarterly meetings.
Wilson reminded attendees that the bike patrol unit has already been eliminated.
Wilson said Gretchen Koenen, the name of the poster here, is the contact regarding the Community Outreach Bureau.
The new effort is called the Community Outreach Bureau and will be headed by TPD Major Darin Scott. Wilson said what community policing has been to neighborhoods (a liaison between the neighborhoods and the TPD) won't change, just the way those services are delivered will change. Wilson said the TPD believes that the new format will lead to better communications between the community and the TPD.
Wilson said there will be an East and a West unit. He said there are currently 4 community police officers for the entire city until June, 2 for the East Unit and 2 for the West Unit. Wilson said the hope is eventually to have 8 officers. He said his primary territory will be downtown and NOTO (each unit's officers should be revealed at the 4 community meetings). Wilson said there will be 3 issues the TPD will identify for each zone:
* Crime prevention
* Gun violence
* Q&A
Wilson said recruitment challenges, not funding shortfalls, have left the TPD about 40 officers short of what its person-power numbers used to be. He said that is what has led to the creation of this new approach featuring 4 zones (which, according to the information posted above, appear to be North, Central, East and West) and quarterly meetings.
As an example of recruitment challenges, Wilson said that recently 15 recruits had been identified, but those numbers were essentially cancelled out by about 15 retirements. He said in an effort to recruit more people that recruitment standards had been lowered (i.e. the amount of time required to expire between drug charges and being a recruit has been reduced from 3 years to 1 year). Wilson said there are fewer people now who want to be police officers than before.
Wilson said each NIA and NA will still have access to their crime stats. They now will be distributed at the quarterly meetings.
Wilson reminded attendees that the bike patrol unit has already been eliminated.
Wilson said Gretchen Koenen, the name of the poster here, is the contact regarding the Community Outreach Bureau.
Have a question or comment? Contact the Tennessee Town NIA at [email protected].
Tennessee Town on the Internet! Nextdoor: https://tennesseetown.nextdoor.com/news_feed/; Twitter: https://twitter.com/tenntown
Crime and Safety page last updated on January 26, 2020