Crime Watch Groups: Who Watches the Admin?

With the rise of social media groups and the ability to access these social networks at any time in any given place, these groups have certainly transformed the concept of neighborhood watch. They have transformed signs on the street to active communities accessed virtually by citizens en masses. You type in the name of a city and locals with CB radios are reporting up to minute crime information in your city. Sometimes these groups are small and sometimes they are so large that droves of information is uploaded by the minute. And these groups, they are not monitored by cities or police departments so behind an asterisk in their group details, they state one should use this purely as informational rather than thinking they are a legitimate branch of government or public safety. I am all for these groups; they are important to the community because they help residents and visitors alike safe. But what happens when people can no longer access this information through no fault of their own?

I was kicked out of group page because I asked the curious question about why a certain council member seemed to be always propagating her messages on a page that strictly enforces a no politics in the comments and portrays itself to have no political preference for local city council members. No heads up, no warning. Years of being an honest active member, being friends with the Administrator just gone because he did not like the substance of a comment that brought up the fact that he was not following his own rules. An Admin who likes to give the impression of fair, balanced and transparent quietly banning and removing anyone who doesn't share his political preference.

So it bring up a good question about "Crime & Safety News" For me I got a lot of immediate information regarding crime in our neighborhood that I would share with friends and family, mostly my mother who lives on the borderline of our city. It gives very pertinent information on crime like what areas to avoid and at what times or what to be vigilant for in certain parts of the city. (i.e avoiding potentially dangerous areas where crimes keep occurring.)

A tool that I have had the privilege of using to keep me and my family safe is now gone. And thinking of this loss in extremes, imagine having the ability to shut out people to this kind of information who have used it for years. It can theoretically potentially lead some people to be a victim of a crime and for what? Because an admin doesn't like what you said? Because an admin is asked by their preferred council member to remove any less-than-desirable comments about their posts?

I understand the muting to some extent because there needs to be order and there needs to be minimal harassment between users. And yes I understand that it is a private group in the end after all. They however pride themselves in being the community source of news and crime, thus making them in essence a group that should be available to the public. So full severance from a group that shares vital information of the city really begs the question how ethical is it to keep people from being able to access this information.

I remember the early days of our Scanner Page. I remember when we first hit 2k. That's how early I was there and I remember the Admin's whole thing was to deliver information pertaining to crime and no politics, no bullying. Now you can find various broken off factions of group pages with people who were removed without rhyme or reason or removed because they were perceived to be associated with certain politicians. At moment a group of 3,000 plus users has sprung out where most have stories of being removed because of rules that apply to some but not to those who are close friends to Admin.

And here we are now and the saying holds true that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Very saddened that the lines have been blurred, very sad that admins to a vital source of Crime & News information cannot act like adults and I really do hope we can maintain civility and have an honest conversation if behavior needs to change in group pages.

There is a difference between being a bully or harassing people and asking honest questions or posing criticism that merits debating. And people deserve to know what they did wrong and if possible, given second chances.

Too much power for someone who cannot be held accountable.