Written by Teresa Overcash. Updated September 22, 2026; citywide figures cover January through May, not a full year.
Start with the agency that serves the address
A city name in a mailing address is not enough to tell you which agency created a particular report. Start with the official agency links below, confirm the relevant jurisdiction, and use the same sources and settings for every address you want to research.
The county Police to Citizen portal describes its purpose as searching public-safety incidents and arrests and accessing other online services. Its Event Search page includes a “Near an Address” option. The county records page also explains that reports must be obtained from the agency that initiated them.
How to research any specific address yourself
- Confirm the reporting agency. Open the WSPD mapping page for city police records or the Forsyth County sheriff portal for sheriff records. If another municipal agency serves the address, ask that agency which public tool contains its reports.
- Enter the address. In the city-linked CrimeMapping tool, set the location and search distance. WSPD’s published search instructions describe location, date and category filters; interface labels can change, so use the current on-screen controls.
- Choose the dates and categories. Do not compare one address with a narrow filter and another with a wider one. Record the selected period, search area and categories so you can repeat the search consistently.
- Review the underlying entries. For sheriff records, begin with Event Search and use the location and date options the current portal provides. Ask the agency for help if the search does not support the address detail you need.
- Check limitations before drawing a conclusion. The WSPD guide identifies sensitive information excluded from its map. A blank map is not proof that nothing occurred, and an arrest or reported incident is not itself a conviction.
- Keep your own notes. Record the source, search date and filters, along with questions to ask the reporting agency. Do not publish residents’ names or infer who lives in a neighborhood from an incident map.
Use these resources to ask informed questions, not to label a whole community from a handful of points. Historical reported activity cannot guarantee future conditions at a property.
What the supported citywide police statistics show
The WSPD report dated June 2, 2026 compares January through May across the years shown below. Its Part One total fell from 3,960 to 3,490 year over year, while its violent total rose from 783 to 796; those are different findings and both belong in the picture.
Source and method: WSPD Crime Analysis Unit, January–May comparison. Counts are preliminary. The report counts victims for homicide, rape and aggravated assault, vehicles for motor-vehicle theft, and incident charges for other categories; these are not all counts of distinct events or residents.
Percentage changes above are calculated as the 2026 count minus the 2025 count, divided by the 2025 count, multiplied by one hundred and rounded to one decimal place. This historical citywide comparison does not measure a specific address, establish a per-resident neighborhood rate, or identify where a buyer should live.
Source limitation: The report has a one-count inconsistency in its 2025 figures: the listed violent categories add to 782, while its violent subtotal is 783; its Part One total is 3,960, while a separate Total Crime row says 3,959. This table preserves the published Part One subtotals and total and uses them consistently, rather than silently changing the agency’s figures.
Questions worth asking before you compare addresses
Keep the reporting period, categories and geographic scope consistent. If you want to compare counts with population-based rates, ask whether an appropriate denominator exists for the exact geography rather than dividing by an unrelated city or neighborhood population.
The same information for every client
We provide the same official data sources to every client. We do not characterize neighborhoods as safe or unsafe, assign safety grades, or recommend areas to avoid. You choose the addresses and criteria that matter to you; we help you locate objective information and ask informed questions.
HUD’s April 2026 guidance explains that discussing truthful crime information is not, by itself, prohibited steering. NAR’s June 2026 guidance emphasizes accurate, objective information and consistent service rather than subjective commentary or discriminatory assumptions.
We apply that approach to every buyer rather than directing people toward or away from communities based on protected characteristics. This article is an educational guide to public information, not a legal opinion or a guarantee about any property.
Questions about Winston-Salem crime-data research
How can I check reported crime near a Winston-Salem address?
Begin with the Winston-Salem Police Department crime-mapping page. Open the city-linked map, enter your address, choose the search area and dates, and review the selected incident categories.
Where do I find Forsyth County Sheriff records?
Use the official Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Police to Citizen portal. It provides Event Search and a Daily Bulletin; verify that the sheriff is the reporting agency relevant to the address.
Which neighborhood is the safest?
We do not rank neighborhoods or characterize them as safe or unsafe. We provide the same official data sources to every client so you can research the addresses and criteria you choose.
Does a map with no incidents guarantee what will happen at an address?
No. A search may have no results because of its dates, selected categories, agency coverage or exclusions. Reported historical activity cannot guarantee future conditions.
Are all incidents included in the public map?
No. The WSPD search guide identifies sensitive categories that are excluded. Review the tool’s current notices and ask the agency about reporting delays, omitted information and coverage.
Can I compare Winston-Salem and Forsyth County totals directly?
Not without checking the definitions, reporting periods, geographic coverage and counting units. City police records, sheriff records and calls for service do not automatically describe the same population or events.
What does the citywide police comparison show?
The WSPD January–May report lists 3,490 Part One counts for 2026 versus 3,960 for 2025, a computed decline of 11.9%. Violent counts increased from 783 to 796, or 1.7%. These are preliminary citywide figures, not a neighborhood ranking.
How current is the citywide table in this article?
It covers January through May 2026, with the same months in the two prior years, from the report dated June 2, 2026. It is a dated comparison, not a claim about all of 2026 or today’s conditions at any address.
Can a real estate agent help me understand where to find the data?
Yes. We can point you to the same official resources, help identify the relevant reporting agency and organize your questions. You choose which addresses and criteria to evaluate; we do not recommend areas to avoid or make neighborhood safety assurances.
Need help finding the right official source?
Send the address and the information you want to research. We will help you identify the relevant public resources and organize questions for the reporting agency.