After living in the DC suburbs for a little over three years, I finally moved downtown to Capitol Hill. If you’re not familiar with the geography of our fair city, I’m in the Southeast corner near the wonders of Eastern Market, Union Station, Barracks Row and all the other exciting places The Hill has to offer. But with all of these great attractions and historical beauty also comes the threat of crime.
Much like my colleague, Chris, I too have been mugged. I’ve also had my car stolen and torched, and had my cell phone lifted on Christmas Eve. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not playing the victim. I know urban living is unique no matter what city you’re in.
So when an officer approached me this morning on my way to the bus stop, I was certain he was going to ask if I had been witness to some crime the previous night. Instead, he introduced himself and handed me a flier. Officer Holland of DC’s 1st District is using Yahoo Groups to create a “Public Safety Community Group” in my neighborhood as part of a new safety campaign. A self-professed “amateur internet junkie”, Officer Holland wants to incorporate new technologies to engage and inform the community.
I know my enthusiasm surprised him, but it struck me as such a cool example of how anybody can use the community-building technologies available in new ways. He knows that the groups functionality, if successful, can be a very powerful tool for sharing safety tips between neighbors while connecting residents to the District police. I'm signing-up and have encouraged my roommate to do the same. Stay tuned for updates!
Now if only I could trade industry advice for unpaid parking tickets….
