GUN BARREL CITY -- If you live or vacation in this area of Cedar Creek Lake, it's easy to find out about any recent or past criminal activity.
The Gun Barrel City Police Department joined with the online service CrimeReports.com Sept. 21, 2012, and it now continuously loads information about criminal activity as police reports are completed.
Gun Barrel City apparently is the first police department on Cedar Creek Lake to join the service, which covers more than 30 percent of the U.S. population with the cooperation of 1,000 law enforcement agencies as of this year, according to the service's website.
The service allows weekenders and other part-time residents the ability to check on crime near their property when they aren't in town. E-mail alerts will notify registered users of criminal activity occurring near their address.
CrimeReports can be integrated with any public safety agency's record keeping system to publish local crime data. In addition to allowing residents to check on crime, they can also submit anonymous tips to the police.
The presence of registered sex offenders living near an address also is available.
Applications for iPhone and iPad also are available free from the Apple Store.
Since the service began mapping crimes in 2007, it has mapped more than 80-million crimes, according to the website.
Visit: https://www.crimereports.com/agency/gunbarrelcity