Getting Started

The CrimeLayer API gives you instant access to crime and safety scores for 457+ California cities, powered by FBI UCR data. You can be up and running in under five minutes.

1. Create an Account

Sign up at crimelayer.com with Google, Apple, or GitHub. No credit card required for the free tier.

2. Get Your API Key

Go to your Dashboard → API Keys → Create Key. Copy the key — it's only shown once. Store it securely; treat it like a password.

3. Make Your First Request

Use your API key in the X-API-Key header on every request:

curl https://api.crimelayer.com/v1/safety/Irvine \
  -H "X-API-Key: cl_live_your_key_here"

4. Parse the Response

A successful response returns a found flag and a data object with the full safety profile for the city:

{
  "found": true,
  "data": {
    "city": "Irvine",
    "county": "Orange County",
    "population": 316132,
    "crime_rate_per_1k": 16.4,
    "safety_score": 83,
    "grade": "A",
    "grade_label": "Very Safe",
    "stars": 5,
    "grade_color": "#16a34a",
    "data_year": 2023,
    "state_average_rate": 30.4,
    "comparison": "46% below CA average"
  }
}

Next Steps

• Authentication — learn about API key types and security best practices.
• API Reference — explore all available endpoints including batch lookups.
• Errors & Rate Limits — understand error codes and how to handle them.
• Pricing — see plan limits and upgrade options.