Original Authors: Daniela Mattson and Maria Laguna <USC Annenberg Media>
November 07, 2025 at 12:40AM PST
This is the summary of the article by Jordan Rynning Reporter of the LAist on November 5, 2025. For the full version of the original article, please visit https://www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2025/11/07/lapd-stops-releasing-criminal-map-records/ titled: <LAPD stops releasing criminal map records>
For the first time in more than twenty years, the Los Angeles Police Department has stopped publishing its online crime data — even as other law enforcement agencies across L.A. County continue to release theirs.
The Crime Mapping and COMPSTAT website still shows reports from surrounding jurisdictions, but LAPD’s territory now appears as a blank space.
“My first thought is: why? And who does that really help?” said Lola Makanjuola, a first-year game design student. “People who live here deserve to know what’s happening around them.”
Through the countywide site, users can normally filter crimes by agency, date, time, location, and category. But LAPD data is no longer included.
According to LAist, the outlet requested the department’s COMPSTAT data in May to confirm statements by city officials about crime and police activity in certain neighborhoods. The records would have detailed both the locations of incidents and any use of force. On October 30, LAPD denied the request.
In previous years, the department regularly uploaded crime reports to the map as part of an effort to promote “inspection and accountability.” That transparency has since vanished.
In a written response to LAist, the department argued that releasing the data could “lead to misguided public policy discussions or unjustified public panic.”
Some residents sympathize but still question the decision.
“I get that they don’t want to cause unnecessary fear — crime happens everywhere,” said Neda Reddy, a first-year law student. “But people should still be able to look it up if they want to.”
LAPD also told LAist that its internal database for tracking arrests is “currently unavailable due to structural errors and duplicate entries.”
As of November 6, no LAPD crime map information is accessible to the public. Mayor Karen Bass has not yet commented on the department’s move.
The Los Angeles Times reported last year that LAPD had previously stopped publishing crime statistics on its public website, suggesting this is not the first time the department has restricted access to such data.
At USC, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) — which operates under a state-required memorandum of understanding with LAPD defining its legal authority and jurisdiction — continues to coordinate with city police.
Still, some students say the lack of transparency makes them uneasy.
“I’d feel safer if DPS were more alert at the gates,” Makanjuola said. “It’s nerve-racking knowing we can’t see those reports anymore.”
As of publication, LAPD officials have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Daniela Mattson
Daniela is a Journalism major and Documentary minor. She focuses her reporting on local community stories and is passionate about social justice storytelling that highlights underrepresented voices.
Maria Laguna
Maria Laguna is a Journalism major with a keen interest in the arts, global culture and activism. She aims to tell impactful stories through all styles of print and digital media.