Click this: Knoxville crime map provides details, solicits tips

Knoxville Police Department crime map website

With the click of a mouse, Knoxvillians can get details about crimes in their neighborhood almost as soon as the police officer investigates it. They can even submit a tip to police electronically.

On Tuesday, Knoxville Mayor Daniel Brown and Police Chief David Rausch unveiled a new interactive website to be used to share crime information with the public.

A new crime mapping system, Regional Analysis and Information Data Sharing (RAIDS) Online, will provide residents with a firsthand look at crimes occurring throughout Knoxville.

“Obviously, technology is the way the community talks,” Rausch said, noting the Internet is growing as a primary mode of communication, with Facebook alone having more than 750 million active users.

The Knoxville Police Department hopes the system will allow better communication between officers and the community.

Over the past several months, KPD researched several crime-mapping programs but recently chose to implement RAIDS Online because it provides an interactive, intuitive experience.

When users visit the site, they have the option of customizing the map to show only crime in their neighborhood or crime in the entire city. Users may input an address and specify a search radius to view crimes reported only in a specific area.

Rausch warned that citizens may initially feel concerned or shocked at seeing crime visually mapped throughout the city but said that Knoxville has a relatively low crime rate compared with many others.

“This is a major step forward in our efforts to keep the public informed on activities occurring in their neighborhood,” Rausch said.

RAIDS Online will be updated within the hour of the completion of the crime report, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The crime-mapping system also includes a crime tip program that allows citizens to send anonymous tips to KPD to be shared with appropriate investigators.

“It’s one more tool in our toolbox of the community having the opportunity to report what they see,” Rausch said.

Citizens will also be able to register for daily, weekly or monthly criminal activity reports tailored specifically to their neighborhood.

The unveiling of the crime-mapping system follows the June launch of KPD’s Facebook page, which now has more than 500 likes.

“We will continue to explore new and innovative programs and social media opportunities to help stay connected to the citizens we serve,” Rausch said.

The crime map may be found here: http://www.raidsonline.com/?address=KnoxvilleCTN

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Marketing Tips to Make Your Company Stand Out

Every company wants to stand out, especially against their competition. If your organization offers great products or has a unique company culture, you’ll want to communicate that loud and clear to your customers. Here are three tips to keep in mind when promoting your business.

1. Show Personality: I’m a firm believer in displaying character and this can easily be accomplished. If you have a charismatic and witty CEO, encourage them to write once a week on the company’s blog. When posting on Facebook, don’t be afraid to incorporate some humor. This is a great way to connect with your audience. Here are some examples on the Fallbrook Winery Facebook page. Yes, the overall goal is to sell wine, but you might as well lighten the mood while you’re at it.

a) “Looks like Rep. Anthony Weiner might need a bottle or two of Dalla Collina wine after a day like today.”

b) “Today’s National Visit Your Relatives Day! If you have relatives nearby, surprise them with a bottle of wine or another treat. If you don’t like your relatives, you might need the wine for yourself :)”

Have fun and uncover ways to diffuse the company’s personality into your marketing efforts. Adding some character is definitely going to make your company more memorable.

2. Deliver Quality Content: One of the biggest challenges with drafting content is making sure it doesn’t come across like a strong sell. Let’s take newsletters for example. Nobody wants to read something that is constantly attempting to push something in their face throughout. If I follow someone on social media or receive an e-newsletter from a company that is blatantly pitching me over and over again, I will most likely delete them. The goal should be to deliver content in a soft sell manner. For example, I wouldn’t recommend that a restaurant owner solely push specials on the menu, but rather share interesting stories about the establishment that consumers might not know. Include a recipe on the menu so customers can get a flavor of the cuisine. Sharing information like this will certainly make people more likely to open and read your newsletters.

3. Incorporate Video: I love video, but companies need to know how to use it effectively. Don’t just make a video to do it. A great recent example can be found with Cali Bamboo. The company recently wrapped up its Greenscape Challenge contest that encouraged individuals to submit their eco-friendly backyard and garden projects. Not sure what this might entail? To help provide ideas, short video clips were created that featured various examples for creating a sustainable backyard. The clips were short enough to keep the viewer’s attention, but they were also educational.

There are many strategies that companies can employ to stand out from the crowd. It just takes a bit of outside-the-box thinking and proper execution.

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