Demonstrating its commitment to transparency and innovation, Los Angeles County launched an Open Data website Thursday that gives the public easy, one-stop access to millions of detailed county records across an array of topics.

The data include, among other things, neighborhood crime statistics, restaurant inspections, L.A. County employee salaries, detailed budget expenditures and the largest online collection of property assessment records in the U.S.

The Open Data website (https://data.lacounty.gov/) allows visitors to filter, sort, create visual displays and offer feedback as the initiative evolves in the months and years ahead. It also encourages entrepreneurial engagement by making the information freely available to app developers and others who may see commercial or socially beneficial opportunities in the data, potentially leading to new innovations in service to the public.

“Our Open Data initiative represents a tangible milestone in the county’s determination to provide new levels of transparency and accountability in a digital age,” said Interim Chief Executive Officer Sachi A. Hamai.

In the works for nearly two years, the Open Data initiative gained momentum in January when the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas that stressed the importance a central Open Data portal. It further called for the creation of a countywide task force under the direction of the county’s chief information officer to identify more datasets that can be added after the initial launch.

“This is an important first step for the county. We are now offering more information in an accessible and unprecedented way to our county residents,” said Supervisor Ridley-Thomas. “We will continue to ask for transparency and to encourage innovation with the treasure trove of data that our county collects.”