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**U.S. Department of Justice** Office of Community Oriented Policing Services  145 N Street, N.E.  Washington, DC 20530 www.cops.usdoj.gov×  Menu  - Home
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**Digital Community Policing: The New Frontiers in Civilian Engagement**
 August 2018 | Volume 11 | Issue 8

Traditional  community policing is about officers showing up, listening, and forming lasting  partnerships with residents in their neighborhoods — and it has never seemed  less feasible. Then again, community policing has never looked less  “traditional.” The “Wild Wild West” of community policing is now online, as  police departments initiate community engagement on Facebook, Twitter,  Nextdoor, YouTube, Snapchat, Neighbors, GroupMe, Mobile PD, and more.

The  good news is that “digital community policing” can reach a lot of people more  quickly and inexpensively than traditional methods, like knocking on doors.  Most police departments have turned to technology as a force multiplier to help  them maximize their positive impact given their limited resources. 

The  bad news is that, depending how digital platforms are used, police departments  are at risk of creating echo-chambers, encouraging “hyperactive ‘crime and  safety’”1 discussions, and increasing  racial profiling in neighborhoods. 

The  pros and cons of the complicated relationship between communities, police, and  technology is front and center today. Consider two examples: 

**1) Nextdoor**

Nextdoor has  struggled with people using the platform to target minorities in wealthy  neighborhoods in the name of reporting “suspicious activity.” The fallout from racial  profiling accusations on Nextdoor is ongoing, although the company has made  strides in addressing the problem. Of course, this is a problem far greater  than Nextdoor. “BBQ Becky,2”  for example, recently gained notoriety for reporting a black family who was  barbecuing at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. In true 21st century fashion, BBQ  Becky’s tirade was filmed on a cell phone and went viral, leading to a massive  “BBQing While Black” protest picnic.

Law enforcement isn’t responsible for policing racist content online, but they  are obligated to respond to calls for service that stem from online  discussions. When residents contact the police about “suspicious” people in  their neighborhood, even when dispatchers  detect overt racism from the callers, officers have to show up.  Online comments — whether on Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, or other message  boards — have created a new environment where residents can inflame bias and  fear, and this impacts policing in the real world.

**2) Neighbors**

Neighbors, an app created by  the smart doorbell maker Ring, is one of the newest tools in this space. Users  can share ‘photos and  videos of package thieves, burglars and other suspicious activity.”  It’s the “suspicious activity” part that becomes risky. After all, community  policing at its core relies on the “see something, say something” principle.  But if what you’re seeing and saying is that someone looks suspicious because  of their race, technology plays a role in exacerbating these underlying  problems in a community.

Because Neighbors uses photos and video footage instead of residents’  descriptions, the app may provide police departments with better information to  determine whether or not behavior is indeed suspicious. However, if the  Facebook data scandal has taught us anything, it’s that privacy concerns don’t  become less pressing as technology becomes more familiar. Police departments  that rely on footage that is obtained without bystanders’ knowledge or consent,  whether from body cams, smart doorbells, or drones, risk alarming the  public. 	 

Police  departments face a challenging situation online. Best practices for digital  community policing are still being established, but the public increasingly  expects real-time information and greater transparency from their local department.  Meanwhile, police departments understandably worry that using technology will  create more problems than they’ll solve.

We know that police departments now brace themselves  for crises, both online and offline. Police chiefs often tell us that they have  to be prepared because “it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when.” So  what can police departments realistically do? The answer lies in effective  communication, and there are three ways to use technology to help:

**1) Tell the public what you know**

Police departments can use technology to effectively  disseminate information with the public before, during, and after a crisis.  Departments can share information with the public about how they intend to  handle officer-involved shootings, for example, even if (or especially if) no  incidents have recently taken place.

Communication becomes even more important during a crisis and it can impact  community-police relations in your city for years to come. A recent My90 focus group found that, even when it came to a fatal police  shooting of an unarmed resident, residents’ views toward the police were  strongly influenced by how clearly and effectively the police department  communicated with the public. An immediate statement that provides concrete  details about the department’s policies and timeline, shared on all available  platforms, is a positive action that departments can take after any negative  incident.

*San Jose Mayor, Sam Liccardo, posts about San Jose Police Department’s initiative with My90.*

**2) Ask the public what you don’t know**

Technology moves at the speed of light, and getting good data  on public opinion usually moves ... a bit slower than that. Are you wondering if  your department should obtain its first drone? Are you curious if the public  understood your department’s recent statement about your stance on immigration  enforcement? Are you looking for more data about community sentiment in your  city?

 All departments have questions they’re trying to answer, and one under-utilized  option is to simply ask the public what they think. This can be done through  surveys, community panels, focus groups, and more. New options leverage  technology to effectively obtain this kind of information while protecting  users’ privacy throughout the process. My90, which uses text messages and an  online platform, is one of these options.

**3) Keep the discussion going**

It’s not enough to ask the  public what they think once a year and put the results on a shelf. Traditional  surveys are evolving, and technology means that there is a new opportunity to  create an ongoing conversation with local residents. However, many departments  are still hesitant to do so. A report from  the Urban Institute found that a third of departments don’t respond to critical  comments on online platforms and simply use their accounts to post information  instead.

Engaging with critics may seem counterintuitive, but ignoring negative feedback  is a missed opportunity. By engaging people who are angry, fearful, or  confused, police departments can build trust that ultimately translates to  safer conditions for residents and officers alike.

*San Jose police officers use My90’s live event tool to engage community and measure feedback at neighborhood forums. (Photo: San Jose Mercury News).*

Racial  profiling, vigilantism, privacy concerns — these are all complicated issues,  and bringing them online raises new risks. Digital community policing is worth  it, and in a world where most people are glued to their phones, departments  have to meet communities where they are. This doesn’t replace the need for  spending time face-to-face. Instead, it highlights the need to use technology  in a way that brings all residents into the conversation equally. For many  residents, they may be more likely to keep an eye on a department’s Twitter  account than to show up at a town hall, at least at first. If departments are  committed to using technology to improve communication, increase transparency,  and strengthen relationships, they just may be more likely to fill seats when  it comes to “old-fashioned” community policing initiatives as well.

Kona  Shen  Co-founder  and CEO, My90

References:  1.The Police Officer ‘Nextdoor’. The  Atlantice. Kaveh Waddell May 4, 2016. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/05/nextdoor-social-network-police-seattle/481164/
2.A white woman called  police on black people barbecuing. This is how the community responded.  Gianluca Mezzofiore. May 22, 2018. https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/22/us/white-woman-black-people-oakland-bbq-trnd/index.html

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The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

The Community Policing Dispatch is the e-newsletter of the COPS Office. 

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