Boston Police to send residents electronic crime alerts
Text messages, e-mails tested in 3 districts
Boston Globe
June 2, 2006
Adrienne P. Samuels
Boston is launching a crime alert system that will send text messages, e-mails, and faxes to residents when crimes occur in their neighborhoods, police and city officials said yesterday.
The system, run by the Boston police and the Internet company CitizenObserver.com, is meant to disseminate crucial information about crimes -- including times, locations, descriptions of suspects, and photographs -- into the hands of those most affected and those in the best position to help police find suspects.
Officials said they hope to engage residents, especially community and crime watch groups, as police fight a major upsurge in crime in some Boston neighborhoods. By providing sometimes instantaneous information and ways for residents to message tips back to investigators, police hope to gain a powerful tool in identifying and catching criminals. The electronic tips that residents can send back to police would be anonymous, potentially freeing some from fears of retribution for helping authorities.
"We want to send out information if there is enough to have the public
help solve the crime," said Boston Police Captain Paul J. Russell.