The Dallas Police Department has a new tool for people who want to report suspicious activity around them. iWatchDallas is the new application for your phone. The Dallas Police want to increase their ability to engage the community in crime prevention efforts. This increased ability is a key part of DPD Chief Brown’s “Community Policing 2.O” campaign.
There are currently 516 active crime watch groups in Dallas and with the addition of iWatchDallas, DPD is looking to connect with those who aren’t involved in the crime watch groups.
Primarily young adults and working parents, who may have information regarding a crime that could help solve it. Through the use of text tips and this application citizens of Dallas who are aware of criminal activity can submit their information to DPD anonymously. Now DPD won’t respond instantaneously, so if it’s an emergency situation please continue to use 911!!
Now there is the potential for impropriety, said Matt Simpson, policy strategist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.
“Spying on each other just feels so Soviet Russia,” Simpson said. “It’s hard to have these programs [not] feel like they’re going to turn into petty grievances against each other … So the vetting process is critical obviously.”
Chief Brown dismissed the criticism, particularly the possibility of racial profiling.
“I just think that’s the absolutely wrong way to look at it, if you just go jump right straight to race being the problem with reporting suspicious activity,” the chief said. “I think that’s a loser argument in my opinion, and that gets you away from the larger issue, the larger issue being how do you participate in your own public safety?”
Now on the other hand this app could help people record and get information about Cops who are abusing the public’s trust and could come in handy in keeping bad cops of the streets of Dallas, again people can sent pictures and tips anonymously.
You can download the App for your Blackberry or Android right here
The iPhone App should be release by the end of the week.
What are your thoughts on this new tool for the Dallas Police Department?
