Baltimore County Launches Interactive Policing Data Dashboard
As the latest tool to increase government transparency and accountability in Baltimore County, County Executive Johnny Olszewski today released a new interactive data dashboard displaying detailed policing information outlining the number and disposition of complaints against police officers and instances of uses of force
This new dashboard fulfil key portions of Olszewski's pledge to provide more information to the public as part of a package of reforms announced in June.
“Open and accessible governments inform our communities and make them stronger. This newest dashboard represents another important step forward in creating a culture of transparency in Baltimore County,” Olszewski said. “I thank Chief Hyatt, the Baltimore County Police Department and our BCSTAT data analytics team for their work in developing these latest tools and for advancing our administration’s ongoing push to provide the public with more insight into policing.”
The Policing Data Dashboard, developed by Baltimore County’s BCSTAT team in collaboration with the Baltimore County Police Department, displays over three years of data on use of force incidents and citizen and internally-generated complaints in Baltimore County.
This dashboard allows users to see trends over time, the demographics of officers or individuals involved in complaints or use of force incidents, and other related data in an interactive format.
“The Baltimore County Police Department continues to expand the resources and data available to the residents of the communities we serve," said Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt. "The expansion of this data dashboard will provide greater transparency and serve as another building block towards the advancement of public trust.”
The interactive dashboard released today joins Baltimore County’s growing set of resources for residents that provide greater transparency, reflecting Olszewski’s unparalleled commitment to a more transparent and accountable government.
In July, Olszewski released a Crime Data Dashboard, providing residents with access to detailed County Part 1 Crime data from 2017 to present.
Earlier this year, Olszewski launched BCSTAT, a data-driven performance management program that aims to improve performance, ensure data quality, enhance transparency and increase accountability across government.
Baltimore County has also released a number of downloadable raw data-sets related to numerous government functions and services. Open Data also includes access to the “My Neighborhood” interactive mapping application, which allows residents to select, view and print predefined maps and reports about Baltimore County, such as police precincts, enterprise zones or census information.
In 2019, the Olszewski Administration released the Baltimore County Open Budget platform to empower residents to explore the County’s budget in an online, easily understood format. The platform currently features information on current and prior year’s budgets, including revenue and expenditures for both operating and capital expenses.
Olszewski has also called for state legislation to amend the Maryland Public Information Act to increase transparency related to the disposition of police disciplinary actions.
Members of the public can view and access the Policing Data Dashboards here.