E-Mail Helps Residents Get The Jump On Crime
Several law enforcement agencies in the Detroit area are making use of Internet technology to inform residents about crime in their neighborhoods. For example, the Troy Police Department is using email to notify residents, businesses, and community groups about local crime activities.
The email program, which replaced a decade-old fax-based system, allows for back-and-forth communication between Troy police and the community. Troy’s program is also intended to involve dozens of the estimated 400 block clubs and homeowner associations in the suburb.
Sterling Heights police also offer a “most wanted” list and weekly public-safety updates to residents via the city’s Web site. Similarly, Oakland County’s sheriff’s office provides a “most wanted” list and a map of convicted sexual offenders on its site.
Farmington Hills police have provided businesses with a mailed crime-watch newsletter for several years, while the Macomb County sheriff’s office provides recent news releases and articles at its Web site.
The manager of a popular mall in the area says that police information-sharing has been invaluable to officials and merchants, as it helps them know ahead of time what they need to deal with and what to look for.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Detroit News (11/16/04) P. 1B; Martindale, Mike .
