The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has launched a new, online tool to better help the public track crime in their communities, according to a press release.

The CrimeInsight TOPS (Theme-Oriented Public Site) platform allows users to quickly navigate through key data submitted by the state’s law enforcement agencies through the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS).

On the platform, available online at https://crimeinsight.tbi.tn.gov/tops/, users can select a law enforcement agency, a year, and a data set – either Drugs/DUI, Violent Crime, or Property Crime – before selecting ‘Go.’

The resulting page displays key definitions, data in a set of relevant charts and graphs, and year-to-year trends. The platform also incorporates print and download features, along with access links to the raw data and social media integration.

Currently, the TOPS platform offers data from 2001 to 2016. 2017 data will be released later this month, to coincide with the agency’s release of its annual ‘Crime in Tennessee’ publication.

“This platform is the next step forward in our commitment to help Tennesseans better understand the crime occurring in their communities,” said Pam Beck, who oversees Criminal Justice Information Service for the TBI. “We’ve worked hard to make sure this information is as clear and easy-to-understand as possible.”

The project, funded by the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics, makes Tennessee one of only two states in the country to offer the public this level and quality of online crime data.

As always, and in accordance to federal crime reporting guidance, the TBI discourages the use of this data to rank or compare jurisdictions. Instead, in the agency’s assessment, it is more helpful – and fair – to compare an agency’s data over a period of time.