The first ever police sponsored social network!

Today I got the go ahead to speak publicly about a project I've been working on for months at Boston Police.

As you've figured out by now, I am madly in love with NING, and I've laucnhed yet another NING network! Read about it and listen to the podcast at Boston Now!

You've seen the social network I created for Neighbors for Neighbors, The Mug Project, The Nametag Project, and now you can check out how I designed it to work to bring neighbors together to address crime and quality of life on the E-13/Jamaica Plain Neighbors Network.

You can check it out at http://e13.bostoncrimewatch.com. I do ask that if your not a resident of Jamaica Plain, MA to not create a profile.

Below I pasted a copy of the press release:

WHAT:

Boston, MA. The Boston Police Department’s Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit has launched a pilot social network called The E-13/Jamaica Plain Neighbors Network (http://e13.bostoncrimewatch.com). The neighborhood centric social networks aims to connects neighbors to each other, provides them with organizing and communication tools, and invites them to take advantage of police, city, and community resources to address crime, quality of life, and engage each other in neighborhood happenings.

HOW IT CAME TO BE:

In the 2006, BPD's Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit successfully developed what became know as the Coalition Organizing Model. In Charlestown, where the model was developed, over 50 groups were formed and the residents of these groups with the help of Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit, A-1 District Police, and community partners, engaged over 500 residents and provided them crime prevention training. The coalition contributed to an overall 16% decrease in part 1 crime in Charlestown from 2005 to 2006.

The “Neighbors Network," built on feedback from Neighborhood Crime Watch members across the city, is designed to support and sustain the tremendous momentum that is generated by the Coalition Organizing Model. The network is comprised of 11 "cluster groups" of streets representing the sections of neighborhoods within the E/13 Jamaica Plain District. In addition, streets groups have been set up for those groups who have indicated they would like a street level group. Over the next couple of months, street groups will be created as new Neighborhood Crime Watch Groups come online and existing groups join the network.

Joseph Porcelli, the "Neighbors Network" Project Director states, "The message we consistently hear from the Neighborhood Crime Watch leaders and members across the city is that want tools to help them meet and engage their neighbors. Based on the initial feedback we received we think we’ve hit a home run." Members of the network have said, "This is a wonderful tool. Makes Crime Watch fun," “This is exciting,” “The site looks great and easy to navigate, even for a novice social networker!”

Captain Christine Michalosky, Boston Police Commander of District 13 says, "This is a powerful community policing outreach and engagement tool. We are excited about increasing communication and participation between the police and community in a fun and casual manner.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS:

For Residents:

· Provide a way to connect to and organize with their neighbors. Like other social networks, members have the ability to message each other, customize their "my page," make friends, and blog (Only BPD and City personnel blog posts will show on the main page.)

· Provide organizing and communication tools. Cluster groups provide members with a discussion board and administrators with the ability to email and manage (approve or block) members of a group. Street groups provide both discussion boards and all members with the ability to email members of the group. Group administrators of street groups also have the ability to approve and block members. Street groups are private to their members.

· Allows for neighbors to independently find their Neighborhood Group. This allows members to get involved right away.

· Ability to embed RSS feeds. This allows us to publish feeds on this network from different BPD resources such as Citizen Observer, BPD News, BostonCrimeWatch.com, and any other RSS source.

· Ability to embed video, photos, and pod casts. Useful for educational and mobilization purposes.

· Ability for members to embed network widgets (promotion boxes) on their own websites and other social networks to which they may belong.

For Boston Police:

· Provide a shared and central workspace for the Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit and E-13 District Police. Allows units to communicate to, collaborate with, and support Neighborhood Crime Watch leaders, members, and residents.

· Provides network administrators from the Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit, E-13 Police Personnel, and Mayor's Neighborhood Coordinator with ability to email all network members, post to the network blog, and participate in cluster and street groups to send crime alerts, communicate trends and statistics, and promote police sponsored events and trainings.

VISION:

The Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit is is hoping to roll out "Neighbors Networks" across the city of Boston by the end of 2008. They anticipate the networks will dramatically increase the number of resident’s actively practicing crime prevention and community building. The expected net result will be an increase in civic engagement on the neighborhood level and decrease in crime.