Citizen, the real-time crime alerting app, is growing in big cities using Scanners

[INDY72]

I was referring to the callsign for Republic Airlines. (They're headquartered in Indianapolis)

Exactly. I live here in Indy. Brickyard is used for the RA callsigns, and is the designated approach nickname for route overflying the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 

[slayer816]

VHP - BRICKYARD VORTAC

www.pilotnav.com

 

[footage]

Citizen is getting scary. Forgive the profane title of this article; it's a quote from their management. 'FIND THIS ****:' Inside Citizen’s Dangerous Effort to Cash In On Vigilantism

 

[Ilikeradiostuff]

Just what all EMS/PD/ FD's want...said absolutely no one.

I cannot see this going well at all

 

[slicerwizard]

Citizen isn't there to provide any positive benefits - it exists to generate profits.

 

[INDY72]

They won't be able to use scanners once its all encrypted because of them being stupid.

 

[zapman987]

They won't be able to use scanners once its all encrypted because of them being stupid.

Then theyll sue saying they are a news agency and get a radio with the keys.

 

[INDY72]

Then theyll sue saying they are a news agency and get a radio with the keys.

 

[nokoa3116]

They won't be able to use scanners once its all encrypted because of them being stupid.

Then theyll sue saying they are a news agency and get a radio with the keys.

Not in California they won't. California DOJ passed a mandate requiring law enforcement agencies to shield personally identifiable information with people they come in contact with. They do this by encrypting their radio systems. Every agency I talked to implied that they cannot give even the media access with this mandate. So suing California is probably the way to go. Also while you would think that Citizen is encouraging law enforcement agencies to want to encrypt, I have actually seen a positive response. The San Francisco Fire Department uses Citizen to post on scene videos with official information being said. Also SFPD now said that with their change to encrypted radios to comply with that one mandate, SFPD will actually have the initial call dispatch, and its disposition said in the clear, while the rest encrypted. This is more than any other department in California has done.

I am not really sure what direction Citizen is taking to try and make money. I believe they are leaning towards providing safety versus providing news. Giving their new "Monitor Me" feature. As well as images of their private security patrol vehicles in Los Angeles.

Citizen had also commented on this.
"...We are aware of possible changes to the status of public police radio and intend to continue providing incident coverage in California. If anything changes, we will let our users know. "

 

[zapman987]

SFFD sounds like my other idea then, Citizen then becomes LivePD v2. Theyll get access as they sign agreements with the municipalities for cash flow in trade for access. Dept can either filter to scrub PII or just take them along, and its up to the public themselves to shield their own info. Whats out in open isnt the agencies problem/fault. No different than Live PD did. You never heard names or anything, was all redacted, or info not shown. All filming was done in public/on public property.

 

[INDY72]

SFFD sounds like my other idea then, Citizen then becomes LivePD v2. Theyll get access as they sign agreements with the municipalities for cash flow in trade for access. Dept can either filter to scrub PII or just take them along, and its up to the public themselves to shield their own info. Whats out in open isnt the agencies problem/fault. No different than Live PD did. You never heard names or anything, was all redacted, or info not shown. All filming was done in public/on public property.

Huge problem with first part of what your saying. Its called the law of how business is done by every municipality, county/parish, and state in the USA. You MUST advertise for bids, and have multiple bidders. Multiple public access meetings to discuss the multiple "vendors" that are bidding on a program/project. Professional outside agencies then must do feasibility studies and so on. Then usually its lowest bidder wins, unless they literally messed up on the prerequisites of the bid. Who else is out there in this game? Will Broadcastify go this route? This is seriously only positive in San Fran, the rest of the world is not so pretty with how it is looking. But as I have said, for those that can't understand the reality of just how bad this is in the reality of our hobby: May the odds be ever in your favor. Live PD had an competitor in that game. COPS, who had been doing this for longer than some of you have been on the planet. Back in the day there was also LAPD: Life on the Beat, Real Stories of the Highway Patrol etc.... All gone forever now, think about WHY they are all gone and never returning. Hmm what's going on in this nation that makes it uncool to have anything to do with LEA's??? Just saying. As far as I know only the ones on like Discovery CH still film. The one about Game Wardens, and the ASPCA Cops. And I have a feeling those will go away in next couple of years to pressure from "the public"...

 

[blantonl]

Citizen isn't there to provide any positive benefits - it exists to generate profits.

From what I can see, Citizen currently exists solely to shovel venture capital dollars into a burn pit. There is zero path from what I can tell right now to generating revenue, other than to possibly sell user data to third party firms.

They literally raised, 133 MILLION dollars and have yet to release a single product that actively generates revenue. They now are rumored to be getting into Uber for private security guards (wtf?) - which bascially just confirms to me that are a product in search of a problem at this point.

 

[slicerwizard]

There is zero path from what I can tell right now to generating revenue, other than to possibly sell user data to third party firms.

IIRC, they have a $20/month membership fee for something and they've been trying to push it hard via their "You're surrounded by crime!!!1" messaging.

 

[speedway_navigator]

I'd be curious to see an advertising content delivery network disguised as a news media company successfully sue in court to get access to an encrypted radio channel. Indiana's constitution prevents lawmakers from giving rights to one class of citizens and not others, unless you are a member of the general assembly and want to exercise your 2nd amendment right in the statehouse.
Non law makers don't have that right.

I talked to a Mesa AZ cop last week, they are looking at E on dispatch with a clear delay after having run ins with aggressive cop watch 'reporters'.

Like Mr. RR says, selling stock in fear related products is a great money maker.

 

[INDY72]

I'd be curious to see an advertising content delivery network disguised as a news media company successfully sue in court to get access to an encrypted radio channel. Indiana's constitution prevents lawmakers from giving rights to one class of citizens and not others, unless you are a member of the general assembly and want to exercise your 2nd amendment right in the statehouse.
Non law makers don't have that right.

I talked to a Mesa AZ cop last week, they are looking at E on dispatch with a clear delay after having run ins with aggressive cop watch 'reporters'.

Like Mr. RR says, selling stock in fear related products is a great money maker.

Fear is also the best way to pass an aggressive law that restricts freedoms. Look at the multitude of "Banned from Public Parks", and some really stupid "Sex" Offences on the books. How were they put in place? "We must protect our women from XXX! We must protect our children from YYY!" Citizens is falling into the fake "Citizen Police Army" thing we got preached at by a former president and a bunch of current politicians in power. "Your under siege by crime! Report everyyythingggggg! Pay us to be your voice and hire our private cops! Go get this guy/gal and get that reward!"

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Citizen app hiring overseas workers to listen to US police scanners, sparking union push.

“Public safety app Citizen is paying contract workers overseas to listen to US emergency scanners, sparking a recent union drive among its New York employees.
While staffers at New York City-based Citizen used to be responsible for listening to emergency scanners and writing up reports on police and emergency calls, that task is now being outsourced to about 200 contractors primarily based in Nairobi, Kenya.”

https://nypost.com/2021/10/05/citiz...rkers-to-listen-to-us-police-scanners-source/

Citizen app workers push to form union as company blasts outside ‘meddling’
October 4, 2021
https://nypost.com/2021/10/04/citiz...orm-union-as-company-blasts-outside-meddling/

Chaotic Vigilante App Citizen Might Get a Union, and the Bosses Aren't Happy
This follows reports of wild management mandates and concerns about a fearmongering business model.
https://gizmodo.com/chaotic-vigilante-app-citizen-might-get-a-union-and-th-1847801045

Do crime-tracking apps help or harm communities? | Pro/Con
Two Philadelphians debate controversial smartphone apps like Citizen.
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/citizen-crime-tracking-app-philadelphia-20210909.html

Controversial neighborhood watch app Citizen rejected an investment offer from Andreessen Horowitz — and it may have been because the venture capital giant wanted too much control over the company.
https://nypost.com/2021/09/09/too-many-strings-attached-in-citizen-app-investment-offer-sources/

Arson Suspect Arrested After Posting Video About Fire on App: Chicago Police
Edward Robinson, 19, has been charged with aggravated arson and possession of a controlled substance.

Arson Suspect Arrested After Posting Video About Fire on App: Chicago Police

A Chicago man was charged with arson after admitting on camera to setting a fire in a residential building in the Lawndale neighborhood. Police arrested Edward Robinson, 19, on Thursday after discovering the video on the Citizen app, which allows users to read and report crime, broadcast live...

www.nbcchicago.com

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Community safety app Citizen launching in Seattle

Community safety app Citizen launching in Seattle after attracting 10M users across U.S.

(Citizen Image) Citizen, the app that allows people to monitor and participate in public safety watching and reporting, is officially expanding to Seattle

www.geekwire.com

Meet Andrew Frame, the Mysterious Mogul Behind the Citizen App
January 5, 2022

Meet Andrew Frame, the Mysterious Mogul Behind the Citizen App

The wildly popular crime-fighting app is raising concerns from both Civil libertarians and cops. But its L.A. based creator insists his controversial creation is nothing to be scared of

www.lamag.com

 

[MtnBiker2005]

Neighborhood Crime App Citizen Is Trying to Expand to Ukraine
https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article/qjbnyx/citizen-app-expand-to-ukraine-cbs

Emails Reveal Citizen App’s Cozy Relationship with the LAPD
Citizen sought access to LAPD data and took a tour of an LAPD facility, according to emails obtained by Motherboard.
https://www.vice.com/amp/en/article...-citizen-apps-cozy-relationship-with-the-lapd

Citizen, a Crime Alert App, Will Test a Rapid-Response Private Security Service in Chicago.
Mar 22, 2022
https://www.techtimes.com/amp/artic...will-test-rapid-response-private-security.htm
https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dg...o-trial-on-demand-private-security-in-chicago
https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/21/22989246/citizen-securitas-chicago-private-security-test-plans


Spotlight: Prince Mapp , Citizen’s Head of Community & Culture

Spotlight: Prince Mapp , Citizen’s Head of Community & Culture

As cities across the country reopen, Citizen is relaunching efforts to engage in communities on the ground, taking an in-person approach…

medium.com

 

[OpSec]

Citizen, a Crime Alert App, Will Test a Rapid-Response Private Security Service in Chicago.
Mar 22, 2022
https://www.techtimes.com/amp/artic...will-test-rapid-response-private-security.htm
https://www.vice.com/en/article/5dg...o-trial-on-demand-private-security-in-chicago
https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/21/22989246/citizen-securitas-chicago-private-security-test-plans

Oh, that's rich...this should be manatory live-streamed material so we can all watch it fail miserably when the Uber driver "security guards" run up on a gaggle of hard-core gang members.

We've all heard about solutions in search of problems, but this is well beyond that.

 

[INDY72]

Oh, that's rich...this should be manatory live-streamed material so we can all watch it fail miserably when the Uber driver "security guards" run up on a gaggle of hard-core gang members.

We've all heard about solutions in search of problems, but this is well beyond that.

Citizen Alert for shooting at XX, YY, CPD en route,... Citizen Security is live on scene,... Wait, its the wannabe rentacop that is the victim? Welcome to Chicago. (Wonder what "herself" the Uber mayor of Chitown thinks about all this?)