A SAFETY app has been helping residents choose better routes by avoiding 'high crime zones' in Salisbury.
The WalkSafe app alerts users when they enter 'high crime zones' and has grown in popularity in the wake of Sarah Everard's murder.
The map shows users reports of crime taken from monthly police reports in the area, including sexual assault, mugging and knife crime.
How does the app work?
WalkSafe visualises crime reports which have been published by the police, so you can plan your route more safely and effectively.
Its HomeSafe function estimates how long it should take you to get somewhere (and alerts a loved one if your journey doesn’t go to plan), while TapSafe allows you to send a contact your location details.
WalkSafe automatically alerts you when you walk near an area with any reported crime and helps you to divert your route.
The app is free and there are no in app purchases either.
Each coloured dot seen on the map represents a different report of crime.
Red means violence/sexual assault, black means knife crime, light blue means feeling unsafe, and yellow means mugging.
The colours on the TapSafe feature will change depending on the time of day, allowing for discreet use at night time reducing the risk of alerting a potential attacker.
However, the app's website does stress all police data can't be shown at once, as "the map would be too cluttered to read".
Instead, the algorithm cycles through the most recent month of police data, refreshing the map twice per week.
Crime reported on the streets of Salisbury and Wiltshire - a quick round-up:
Lindford Road - Violence/sexual assault
Capulet Road - Violence/sexual assault
Castle Road - Violence/sexual assault
Victoria Road - Violence/sexual assault
Scamell's Road - Violence/sexual assault
Churchill Way N (A36) - Violence/sexual assault
The Orchard - Violence/sexual assault
Churchill Way E (A36) - Knife crime
Rollestone Street - Violence/sexual assault
Griffins Court - Violence/sexual assault
Carmelite Way - Violence/sexual assault
Harvard Close - Violence/sexual assault
Odstock Road - Violence/sexual assault
Wiltshire Road - Violence/sexual assault
Norfolk Road - Violence/sexual assault
Essex Square - Violence/sexual assault
Elm Close - Violence/sexual assault
Winding Way - Violence/sexual assault
Pinewood Way - Knife crime
Ramleaze Drive - Violence/sexual assault
If you want to download the app for yourself, you can do so via your phone's app store.
MORE - The 10 crime hotspots in Salisbury city centre
Crime statistics context
It is important to note that crime statistics alone do not tell the full story of a community, and different factors will contribute to crime levels.
Police forces have pointed out in the past that data about reports of crime can lack context.
For example, the way crime is recorded can make certain areas look more affected, because of a nearby nightlife or shoplifting hotspot.
And some calls to police may turn out to be false alarms.
Nevertheless publicly available information on reports of crime can be a useful way for people to get a feeling for where they live and take steps to feel safer.
In the wake of Sarah Everard's murder, Wiltshire Police said the county was a safe place to live and that such shocking crimes were "incredibly rare".
But it also stressed officers were committed to tackling crime and helping people to feel safe.
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