Police Visiting Homes, Using Social Media Of At-Risk Youth To ‘Defuse Future Violence’
I ran across this story yesterday and it really resonated with me. Growing up in western NY we sometimes get use to the violence we see or hear about on a regular basis. I would hear people complain all the time that the cops aren't doing enough.
Well there is a new initiative called "custom notifications," the Buffalo Police Department has been employing a crime prevention strategy gaining traction across the country in which police officers pay a visit to the homes of young people who appear to be heading down a dangerous path.
I really think this is a dope concept, by tracking what the at risk youth are posting to facebook or social media sites, such as guns, drugs, and fights etc. It can possibly stop crimes before they happen. Now the police are using these social media post to interact with the at risk youths families in hopes they can stop the negative behavior. Who knows what impact the "custom" home visits can achieve.
Through the end of Aug. only 119 people have been shot in Buffalo. Now that may seam like a lot but that's the lowest number over a 8 month period in at least nine years according to the Buffalo Police department stats.
This new program is now getting national attention and I hope it inspires more positive policing as I feel it is the job of officers of the law to want to defuse not escalate an potential problem.