A lot has changed within the public safety landscape recently, leading to an increase in the need for law enforcement leaders across the globe to build strong, trusting relationships within their communities. As stated in the International Association of Chiefs of Police “Steps to Building Trust,” agencies must increase transparency and publicize positive interactions.
Driven by the recent protests, there has been a massive spike in police scanner app downloads, in turn reshaping the information ecosystem. Scanner apps have been downloaded over 35 million times, demonstrating a thirst for public safety information. Apps based on first responder radio have grown to play a critical role in building trust by allowing for greater transparency and providing visibility into first responders’ daily work.
Unlike police scanner apps, Citizen has always recognized a responsibility to protect the information that could endanger the safety and effectiveness of first responders’ efforts. In order to achieve this, we have amassed a team of over 100 highly-trained analysts that monitor police, fire, and EMS radio across the country 24/7/365. Every piece of information from 911 communications goes through a rigorous filtering and moderation process to protect the safety of officers and community members alike.
Because we recognize the gravity of the work we’re doing, early on we made the decision to bring former New York City and Boston Police Commissioner Bill Bratton onto our board, and we regularly consult with former police officers and other first responders. We have an extensive set of moderation guidelines developed with feedback from seasoned professionals in media and law enforcement. Tactical positions, warrant information, social security numbers or any other private information will never reach our users’ smartphones.
Citizen is proud to have delivered over 9 billion safety alerts over the past five years without compromising officer safety. Before sending a notification, our team of analysts use our strict editorial guidelines to ensure that we are staying true to our mission to keep everyone safe. As a company, we are proud of the work that we are doing and look forward to playing a part in building trust between law enforcement and their communities.
We would love to hear from you if you would like to share your ideas or have any feedback.