Boris' crime map plan comes unstuck

Victims' privacy at risk

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Policing, 25th June 2008 11:45 GMT

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Boris Johnson's manifesto pledge to provide detailed crime maps of London has hit problems with privacy regulators.

The London Mayor promised to introduce "New York-style crime maps which show the true crime levels in every neighbourhood". But the Information Commissioner's Office is worried about victims' privacy and possible data protection issues.

But Johnson is determined to overcome objections, the Times reports. He remains keen to introduce maps although they may have to be less specific than originally promised.

The Metropolitan Police already publishes maps of crimes not only by borough but also by individual ward.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has also promised to provide monthly crime maps for the whole country.

Various websites do offer crime statistics for New York and other US cities almost as they happen.

Information from such sites has famously been repurposed - if you can find out exactly where people are often arrested for selling drugs then you have a pretty good idea of which neighbourhoods to go to in order to buy them. ®

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