Neighbor News
Bright City Has Answer to Shrinking Law Enforcement Staff: Arming Citizens with Tech
The demand for real-time, direct two-way communication is evident with Bright City app.
One would be hard-pressed to find a public airport without a baggage screen, a business without a security system, or a citizen without a mobile device, or two. Smart phones have streamlined how people work, play, consume and share information making everyone ever dependent on their connectivity.
“We want to lend our voice to October as Crime Prevention Month and share a solution that utilizes the one thing we always have with us, our mobile devices,” said Mary O’Brien, CEO of Mobile Science Technologies. “The Bright City app allows ordinary residents to become the eyes and ears of authorities resulting in safer communities.”
Tech in Uniform
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The first high-speed nationwide wireless network entirely dedicated to public safety is currently being deployed by 21 states and two territories to help law enforcement, fire service, and EMS do their jobs safely and effectively, which means eliminating any chance for connectivity loss.
At the same time, law enforcement agencies across the country are facing reductions in their budgets. This unfortunately means dwindling staff and a hindered pace of technology adoption at a time when the case for more police presence is made during every nightly news broadcast.
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Many large cities are installing CCTV cameras, in lieu of an officer, to provide video surveillance in locales beyond just the high-trafficked intersections. Similarly, more gunshot detection solutions are being deployed to provide real-time alerts to law enforcement when gunfire is detected aiding in response time and the hopeful removal of illegal guns.
Tech in Civilian Clothes
October is Crime Prevention Month and provides a stage to shine light on a topic that every community must tackle. Citizen engagement can be a remarkable, yet commonly overlooked line of defense against crime.
“If you see something, say something” may just be the crime fighting dog McGruff’s updated version of “Take a bite out of crime” made popular in the mid-1980s.
As citizens, it’s easier than ever to “say something.” Take a leisurely scroll through the social media channel of choice, and you’ll likely find some variety of a citizen posted alert whether a traffic backup, be on the lookout for a suspicious vehicle, or petition signature request for more street lights.
Social media has claimed its position as the tool of choice to not only have your voice heard but also tune in to what other voices are saying. A recent study by Pew Research Center reports that 62 percent of adults in the U.S. get news via social media.
With social media channels becoming increasingly cluttered, it can be cumbersome to get important and accurate information such as crime details into the right hands immediately. For example, if a concerned citizen witnesses what might be a burglary, he or she isn’t likely going to get far by posting a status update on Facebook. And, messaging the local sheriff’s department’s Twitter account may reach the on-duty officer eventually albeit too late.
Emerging Tech for Citizen Engagement
The demand for real-time, direct two-way communication is evident. That’s where technology specific to citizen engagement can streamline the process and empower community members while strengthening law enforcement. Bright City is a mobile app with a citizen alert feature that allows for reporting and receiving citizen-sourced and law enforcement verified information on crime, emergencies, scams and suspicious activity.
Adding more eyes and ears in the community to watch out for crime and dangerous situations is only valuable if information is effectively and accurately communicated. Bright City takes out the guess work and even eliminates possible erroneous information by packaging the exact GPS coordinates, photos and text, and delivering it immediately to on-duty law enforcement.
It’s important that users can report information anonymously and, or receive information back regarding their reported crime or suspicious activity in real time. Responding to and hopefully preventing crime are the main goals for a citizen engagement app. A positive side effect with utilizing technology to open the lines of communication is growing the trust between law enforcement, elected officials, and their citizens.
“We believe that crowdsourced wisdom of engaged citizens with the right tool at their fingertips could be one solution to ‘stretched-too-thin’ law enforcement,” said O’Brien. “We encourage engaged citizens who are interested in seeing the Bright City app available for their city or county to go ahead and request their local government adopt and implement the technology.”
About Bright City
Bright City is an all-in-one citizen engagement mobile application linking local governments with residents and businesses making for safer and more connected communities. The city that clicks together sticks together. Learn more at brightcityapps.com. Bright City is an innovative technology developed and licensed by Mobile Science Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc.
Contact:
Mary O’Brien
Mobile Science Technologies, Inc.
Glenlake Parkway NE, Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30328
(904) 616-5322