Here's an interesting post from the MPD-1 listserv that I found worthy of reposting. I've mentioned before that you can anonymously (or provide your name if you wish) text MPD at 50411. It's awesome if you have an ongoing problem like corner drug dealing. A friend of mine with this issue regularly sends texts like "Dealers on corner of such street and blank street right now. PSA 504." Including the PSA is key. In emergency situations you should still call 911, but the texting service is pretty cool. The following email talks about something they are doing in NYC that we should totally be doing here, but aren't yet doing. Check it out:
I believe I posted this to the First District Listerve a few months ago, and Commander Kamperin responded that he would look into it. I know this would take some time to implement, but does MPD have their tech support people looking into how to more easily facilitate the use of real time photographs in apprehending robbery suspects as the articles below discuss? They are doing it in NY City, so it can be done.
Now that nearly every cell phone has a camera built into it, being ready to photograph a robbery (from a safe distance of course), a burglary, or just some suspicious behavior is something to think about.
Bob
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Below is an article about the police in NYC taking their "partnership with the public" one step further by enlisting their help in the use of digital cameras (cell phone or otherwise) in the fight against crime. Here is an excerpt. "The idea takes the 911 call one step further. When a witness calls 911, the dispatcher takes the details of the crime and assigns a special code to the report if the caller says there are photographs or video that might help solve it. A detective then calls the tipster with instructions on how to send the visual data into a department computer.
The image could be a unique tattoo on the forearm of a suspected criminal in a robbery, or a shot of a license plate of a car fleeing a hit-and-run accident, Mr. Bloomberg said.
"We are also working to enable the Real Time Crime Center to send photos out to all patrol cars in the area of a crime," he said. "We hope to have that up and running next year.
"This technology should put a scare into every would-be criminal," the mayor said, adding that the chance of "getting caught in the act is now better than ever."
I have mentioned this topic on this listserve before, that is the ability to within minutes of a crime being committed, transmit photos to the 911 number, and then have the images sent to patrol cars equipped with computers. The past MPD response was something typical like `well, you can certainly pass the image file on to the detective.' Is the MPD as an organization looking into this idea of using camera images from witnesses in a real time capacity like NYC Police seems to be putting into place?
Bob
Camera Phones Are Enlisted to Fight Crime http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/nyregion/10video.html?_r=1
10 comments:
interesting concept...but when I took pictures of gents (and ladies) peeing and crapping on the wall of my condo building along the alley between 7th and 8th (immediately north of H) several years ago, and even held the perp in conversation until a cruiser showed up, officer would do nothing - even when presented with the pic and suspect together. Perhaps it will work for drugs, who knows. Glad I dont have to worry about that "sh*!" no more. (Pun intended).
this alley aint no bathroom,
it will work if it's a felony. The photos are still useful for smaller stuff too. You can always post them on the internet for fun! I'm imagining a YouTube video with appropriate soundtrack right now.
Thanks to your friend for reporting that sort of thing. More people need to do the same. That's the only way to keep it from continuing to happen. I call 911 myself, but might be tempted to text next time I am on the street and don't want someone to see my calling them in.
Inked-
I did one time make a collage of the pics and used it to wallpaper the door of Family Liquor. Seemed quite justified seeing as though my scientific research had demonstrated that >80% of the "depositors" were either enroute to or leaving from Jerome's house of spirits. Man, did I eventually grow tired of flushing the toilet that was the alley. Aint no flushin for me no mo'.
I live in Trinidad on Florida Ave, what is the PSA number?? Thanks for the info
4:15,
it's 504.
A few years back I was the victim of an armed robbery in capitol hill. Grand theft auto, with a knife. The two perps also took my cell phone and immediately began using it several times a day.
By logging into my account via the internet, I was able to send the detective a daily record of the incoming and outgoing phone numbers for a period of a couple weeks, along with the time of day and length of call. You would think that might be a useful trail to follow, but it came to nothing.
At first I would get a brief "thanks for the information" type of email, every few days, but soon the detective stopped responding. If I remember right, he was hesitant to give me a definitive answer when I finally asked him if I should keep sending him the reports. I really should have sought out his supervisor, whoever that is, but I got so fatigued by the whole thing that I didn't bother.
All this is to say that technology is nice, but there also has to be some *desire* on the part of law enforcement.
I will mooch on Anon 4:15pm, and ask the guru: which PSA does 8th and H street NE fall under?
Know your PSAs! --> http://mpdc.dc.gov/mpdc/cwp/view,a,1239,q,543336,mpdcnav_gid,1523,.asp
@gnarlydorkette --> 102
Thanks for the response Inked.
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