The App’s Mission is to “Keep People Safe and Informed”
By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
With crimes like break-ins and stolen vehicles on the minds of many Palisadians, it’s natural to feel unease when a police siren or circling helicopter comes near.
Citizen, a safety network app, hopes to alleviate some of that fear in Pacific Palisades by expanding coverage throughout Los Angeles earlier this year.
“Citizen’s technology keeps everyday people informed with real-time notifications about nearby crime and emergencies,” a release about the app explained. “This information—available on a free mobile app for anyone to use—enables users to make smart, thoughtful decisions about their safety in ways not previously possible.”
Palisadians can access geolocated safety information about what’s happening around them in real-time, with alerts from Citizen.
“We are building this product to protect people,” Andrew Frame, founder of Citizen, said. “What fuels us forward are the stories of people getting real world value from Citizen. Los Angeles is a massive city with extraordinary resources, however, the missing link is the activation and empowerment of everyday people to participate in their own safety.”
Citizen first launched in New York in March 2017, followed by San Francisco in September and Baltimore on February 13 of this year.
Stories of the app’s success include a user who was alerted of a fire in his building and helping find an abducted 4-year-old in New York City.
Users are able to chat with each other through the app to share information, including watching and recording live video, and can expect to receive about two safety alerts per day on average.
The feed is created by teams of people who listen to police, fire and emergency radio transmissions, according to The New York Times.
“With the knowledge Citizen provides, every Los Angeles resident now has the power to stay safe, protected and fully informed,” the release stated.
Citizen is available for free on both iOS and Android platforms. For more information, visit citizen.com.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
