The Wichita Police Department has partnered with a social media company to help better communicate with the residents they serve.
The smartphone application Nextdoor is meant to strengthen the relationship between police officers and the neighborhoods they interact with. The app breaks down Wichita into its various neighborhoods to create a private, social network where people can report crime, post information about a lost pet, or even find a babysitter.
The partnership between the city and Nextdoor will allow residents to share information with the Wichita Police Department.
City Council member Lavonta Williams says she’s excited to see what Nextdoor can do for District 1, which she represents.
“I think it’s going to be something that’s going to be very influential with our neighborhood. It has been around for a while. As I visit city to city, state to state, I was hearing about Nextdoor and now I’m so thrilled that we’re going to kick it off here in Wichita," she says.
There are currently 200 Wichita neighborhoods that are included in Nextdoor. There is a verification process involved; anyone who accesses a certain neighborhood’s page must be a resident of that area.
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